Organizational Enlightenment

2009-07-06T12:33:00.000-04:00

It's not an easy time for a lot of us. The downward economy and uncertainty has left many people feeling frazzled and out of control. Our homes are sometimes the only areas in our lives that can offer us sanctuary. But if your home leaves you feeling chaotic and displaced, it offers little to no comfort to you.

A better organized space can make you feel more at peace with your surroundings. Less overwhelmed by the influences of the outside world. But where to start? Knowledge is power. Power to become more organized, to live a simpler life and get back to the basics. And now you can be more organized for less!

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Resolving to be More Organized

2009-01-02T21:51:00.003-04:00

So, it's the New Year and probably, like a lot of other people “becoming better organized” might top your list of New Year’s resolutions. Usually what happens though is before the final verse of 'Auld Lang Syne' is sung, many of us will have considered this lofty idea just another failed attempt.

This year try to redefine your resolution:

· Set more specific goals such as; create a better filing system, use time management tools more effectively, follow up with clients more regularly.
· Create to-do lists each week, choosing one or two tasks based on your specific organizational goals such as; clear out-of-date files, use calendar/pda more efficiently, update contact management program.
· Build in regular maintenance time to your schedule, setting aside time to review files, update your calendar, enter new contact information, etc. so that you can continue your good habits throughout the year.
· Review your systems periodically so that you can re-evaluate whether or not changes need to be made or if your system is working to its potential.

I usually find that the more specific I am with my goals, the more likely I am to reach them.

Post Holiday Stress Syndrome; 8 Steps to a Speedy Recovery

2008-12-28T18:43:00.002-04:00

OK...I don't know if there is such a thing as Post Holiday Stress Syndrome, but there should be a name for the craziness in my household that takes place from December 26th up until around my birthday. (That's January 9th if you're taking notes. We won't talk about how old I'll be.)I don't typically get too stressed before or during the holidays. It's the aftermath that usually hits me hardest. Not only are things more out-of-sorts with all of the stuff, but there's something a little depressing to me about the un-decking of the halls, so I tend to procrastinate with this task. I have learned a few tricks over the past few years that have helped me recuperate more quickly. Here's my 8 Step Recovery Process to help curb that Post Holiday Stress Syndrome:

Go through clothing, toys and other household goods before the gift-giving season hits to reduce and eliminate unwanted or unused items and prevent overload. (Sorry...ummm, maybe you can use that one next year!)

Set up a large box or plastic bin for each family member to separate and store their unwrapped gifts while in transit and until they find their permanent spot. Once emptied, use the plastic totes to store holiday decorations or off season clothing.

Plan upcoming menus using holiday leftovers and freeze some meals for those evenings over the next few weeks when cooking is out of the question.

Break down the post-holiday clean up into steps. Work on one small project at a time, like un-decorating and putting away the holiday dishes.

Spread the cheer. While leaving your Christmas tree up until February may be a little embarrassing, snowmen until St. Patty's Day (at least in some climates) isn't completely out of the realm of possibilities. Work on putting away the most season specific items first, then move on to less distinctive decorations.

If holiday overspending has got you down, the best way to face it is head on. It's time to review your budget and determine how much extra you can apply to pay toward your outstanding balances until they are paid off. Better to tighten the belt now for a few months than to still be paying on holiday bills this time next year.

If you have multiple credit cards, once one is paid off, apply that regular payment to another card in addition to what you were already paying. You'll multiply your efforts and get rid of debt even quicker. (This tip works great all year round!)

Finally, take some time for yourself. This time of the year can be just as stressful as the holidays themselves, if not more. We're all so busy this time of year, we often forget ourselves. It's a great time to take up a new hobby, start an exercise program, curl up with a good book or just catch up with friends.

Taken as prescribed, these tips will help you make a full recovery, with little or no side effects. Care should be taken as some of these tips (especially the last one) can be habit forming and should be used under the supervision of at least one other person for the maximum benefit. Use of alcohol and exposure to direct sunlight are optional and could possibly intensify (or inhibit) the effects of the recovery process. Individual results may vary.

Product Review-File Tote

2008-10-22T19:43:00.005-04:00

I was recently asked to review a new product and I was thrilled to oblige! First, let me say that I've been looking, literally for years, for something to carry files on the go, but that was stylish. I never found one that suited me. Okay, maybe it's like going to be my personal mission to make it known that organized people don't have to be all about function and that fashion is important, too. (It's a good excuse to buy "cute" organizing stuff, anyway!)

So, when the people over at Jamie Raquel asked me to preview their new, fashionable--and extremely cute I might add--LifeSTYLE File Tote, of course, I jumped at the chance! They sent me the cool lime green one (one of my favorite colors!) and I was very impressed with the construction. THIS tote is STURDY! It holds hanging files, has cell, pen and pda pockets.

I waited ~~patiently~~ for a chance to use it. My day finally came when I had to load up some files for a presentation. Just when I thought it couldn't get any better, I realized how great this file tote was when I made it there and back without losing a single file or without having the tote fall over in transport. If you knew my driving, you would understand that this is near impossible! But they all made it there, thanks to the strap that secures your files in place.

Two big thumbs up for this new product. It was exactly what I'd been looking for all these years, but never found in any store.

Back to School Basics

2008-09-08T20:01:00.002-04:00

While most of the kids are back to the books, it seems like a good time to review some basics for us parents. Here are some ideas I use to help keep my kids organized when it comes time to head back to school:

Set up a place for the kids to deposit papers that you need to review, like an in-box (ideally this will located near the point of entry).
Install hooks at the entry way for book bags and coats.
If you keep special papers, keep them under control with a simple document box. Be sure to review them at the end of each school year and weed out those that seem to have lost their "specialness" over time.
Keep school notes, phone lists and schedules for activities in a central location. I use a 3-ring binder for this and keep it near the kitchen phone.
A few simple prep steps on Sunday evening can help ensure a more smooth week; pick out clothing for the entire week, prepare lunches for the next day, review after-school activity plans and arrange to do household tasks for the least busiest days.

Even the best laid plans can't always prevent chaos from showing up every once in awhile, but maybe with the help of some of these suggestions, you can rest a little easier knowing that winter break is only a few months away!

The Frazzled Female

2008-07-28T19:01:00.003-04:00

So, I've been invited to give a presentation on organization to a group of women tomorrow night for their series on 'he Frazzled Female', in hopes, I suppose, that my insights on organizing can bring them enlightenment on how not to be frazzled. This is something I'm finding quite humorous right about now because I am that quintessential "frazzled female" at this given moment!

I have one day this week to prepare for this short presentation and another unrelated, all-day event for over 200 women, where I'm giving two presentations. One day. That's tomorrow. And low and behold who gets called for jury duty? ME. And when am I supposed to report? TOMORROW. Isn't the legal system grand?

What you may also find humorous to note...I'm a part-time paralegal! What goes around comes around, I guess!

Clear Some Clutter and Stash Some Cash

2008-06-28T08:23:00.002-04:00

Garage sales, tag sales, yard sales, rummage sales; whatever you call it in your corner of the globe, like it or not, it can be a great way to unload some clutter. The thing about these types of sales is that it's a toss up. You can sit out there all morning and make a whopping dollar-fifty, or worse yet, not even recoup your advertising costs. You never really know if the weather's going to be a factor or if the traffic will bring the just-right customers through who are looking for what you're selling. As a whole, I find donating items throughout the year is the best route to go, but sometimes a sale is in order (like if you have a large amount to get rid of all at once).

But, if the time has come for you to unload some of your treasures on unsuspecting neighbors, there's definitely a right and wrong way to make the most of your sale. Keep these things in mind:

Be willing to negotiate on price. Some people just like to "haggle". If you think you have something of considerable value, check out the going price on ebay or amazon so you know what you're dealing with.
Don't be offended if someone offers you less than your tag price. Keep in mind that for some people, it's the "thrill" of the bargain. Some people will just always try to talk you down, even on the 50 cent shirt you only wore once.
Organize your goods by sections, like a store; toys, clothing, electronics, kitchen items, etc. Your customers will enjoy looking longer and more looking = more money!
Have plenty of change and bills on hand as well as bags, newspapers for wrapping fragile items, a notebook, pen and calculator.
If multiple people are selling things, use a different color price sticker for each person. You'll know immediately who to credit for the sale.
See if your neighbors want to have a community sale. You're more likely to attract a larger crowd of customers and you can split the advertising costs.
Check local codes, regulations and neighborhood covenants. Some areas require permits to hold a sale. It's also a good idea to post a "not responsible for accidents" sign, just in case.
Don't stash things away for more than 6 months in preparation of a sale. My mom would hold on to things for years just for her next sale. These were usually the thing that didn't sell from the time before. Sorry, Mom--had to go there.
This brings us to our final tip: Immediately pack up leftovers and drop off at a local charity or arrange for them to pick up. If you were willing to part with them before, you should be fine with letting them go to a good cause. Your "compensation"? Creating a more organized living space. If you still have an item or two that is very valuable, consider taking it to a consignment, resale or pawn shop or listing it on the internet.

Having a sale can be a lot of work, but you can make some of your money back from past purchases and it sometimes makes parting with things a little easier. Use your profits to treat yourself to a day at the spa, dinner and a movie, a weekend away or something you've been wanting to buy. You deserve it!

Do you have more great garage sale tips you've found helpful?

Sorting It Out

2008-06-18T20:28:00.005-04:00

Earlier I showed you pictures that might disgrace any other professional organizer, but I'm not your ordinary organizer! I know the best way for me to help you is to show you. And if that means showing you my mess, then that's what I'll have to do. I know it won't look like this for long though, so I'm ok with biting the bullet and allowing you in to take a peek.

We've learned that the first step in the SOS Method is to SORT. So, that's where I started when I began to tackle this "junk" room. Keeping in mind that most of the items that were being stored here were designated for my garage sale, it was easy to quickly sort what staying and going.

We did end up having our garage sale, but because of our town's immense flooding last week, it wasn't a very big turn out. So, we're holding it over for another weekend. I did get all of the garage sale items moved out of the room though and boy, what a difference!

The items on top of the desk are what we're keeping, not that they'll all end up in this room, but those are the things I have to find room for somewhere or futher weed out. The desk will end up going as well. The rest of the room is a now a blank slate except for a couple of spare coats hanging in the closet.

The items that are being sold next weekend will be sorted into groups so that garage sale customers can more easily browse. Maybe I'll have to post tips on organizing a garage sale too. More to follow on further omitting and storing of the remaining items and finally getting this room into shape in preparation of making it a bedroom in posts to follow...right now I'm pooped!

Feel free to post your own SOS projects and link up here. Also, time is running out to sign up for the special drawing so go here to find out more!

Don't Use That Kind of Language Around Here!

2008-06-14T16:11:00.005-04:00

Recently when my 5 year old daughter and I were on our way home from town, she exclaimed from the back seat, "I didn't know "pee" was a bad word!"

Not being a family who has ever actually refrained from using the word "pee" I replied, "pee's not a bad word, honey."

She proceeds to correct me, saying "It is, Mommy. "Pee" is a bad word around here." By this point I'm really not sure what she's talking about and am about to shrug it off as something she's heard from other kids or at the sitter's. Then she points out a sign as we drive past..."See that sign has a "P" with a line through it!"

Total Room Makeover

2008-06-13T21:09:00.006-04:00

So far we've looked at small and medium SOS Projects. I've showed you how I used my SOS Method to complete these organizing projects. They've been fairly simple and quick to complete so far. This one is going to take several posts to show my progress because...well, because I can't do it all in one day. That's why. You'll soon understand why.

Here's the background on this room: it's in our lower level of our split level home. It's been used as a craft area, a play area, almost a study area, a general storage area and most recently a garage sale staging area. Our hope is for it to be converted into a bedroom for our "pre" teen daughter who currently shares a room with her 5 year old little sister. Not a good mix.

These pictures are the room in its pre-garage sale state. I've been stock piling things over the last few months in preparation for this huge sale. I actually prefer to donate items to charity throughout the year and don't typically recommend saving items for a garage sale that may or may not come about, but I had a larger than normal amount of stuff to unload because we're redecorating and remodeling. It also helps with the cash for new decor!

Now...you see why my progress will need to be posted in stages! You literally cannot walk through this room. It's been a dumping ground for the past several months. But that's OK. I can see my goal. And I'll still follow the same path to get there as I did my smaller projects: my SOS Method. No worries! Check back to see how I'm coming along.

When the Waters Recede

2008-06-10T08:15:00.004-04:00

Our beautiful town is now declared to be a disaster area. We've had so much rain dumped on us in the past few weeks that the rivers, creeks and lakes have swollen past capacity. We've had "floods" before, but nothing like this. "The Hundred Year Flood" has surpassed that of the flood records of 1913 and we have more rain in the forecast. It's sprinkling now, as I write this and has been raining steadily throughout the night.

Wednesday night we lost power for over 7 hours. We have a basement with a sump pump and have not been able to afford making a generator or battery back-up a priority purchase. With no pump, the water began to seep into our lower level which is finished. We actually had just installed wood laminate flooring on more than half of it a few short months ago. Maybe the back-up system should have came first, but we were just too optimistic in thinking that we could catch any potential problems in time.

We were able to borrow a generator, but not before more than half of the flooring had gotten wet. So now our brand new floor and all of our hard work seem to be for naught. The water has gone, our pump is now working and keeping up with the ever-increasing demand. But the floor is ruined. It's beginning to buckle and pop up at the seams. But, we're one of the lucky ones. We lost some flooring. Many more people lost nearly everything.

There has been mass flooding all over our town and in the outlying areas. The river has claimed more than two people so far, along with many, many homes, cars and jobs. Nearly everywhere that you can get to, you are able to see the effects of the widespread devastation that has taken place. Many roads are still impassible. Many people are still trying to pump water from their homes in an effort to salvage what is left. Belongings are piling up in driveways and along curbs. People are being brought to their knees in tears, distraught over the hardships this has caused.

But, my town is resilient and we pull together as a community. As the waters recede, I count my blessings and know that we are fortunate to live in such a place and that tomorrow will be better.

Our Kitchen Pantry

2008-05-28T20:09:00.000-04:00

Yikes! Our pantry has gotten out of hand recently. I knew it was time to tackle this project again, but I admit I'd been putting it off. I wasn't discouraged so much that it had once again become disorganized. I've learned that being organized doesn't mean you never have to re-organize. I've come to accept that there's maintenance that goes along with it. It was just one of those "have-tos" on the bottom of my list. At first glance the pantry may not appear to be in too bad of shape, but I couldn't find anything and was constantly moving things from side to side trying to see behind taller items. So it wasn't working for me any longer.

Lucky for me, just as with any organization project, I knew right where to start. My SOS Method: Sort, Omit and Store.

After assessing the situation I figured it would be best to work from top to bottom. I began removing items and placing them into groups on my countertop. (I wish I would have thought to snap a picture of this stage...sorry!) Thinking in terms of the way I would use the items in cooking helped me to know what categories to SORT them into. I began removing and grouping baking items, drink mixes, sauces and condiments, canned goods and so on until the shelves were clear.

The next stage was to OMIT things I didn't need. For some of you this may mean expired items or food of questionable freshness. I usually keep up on this pretty well, so I didn't have anything too old to throw out. I did have some things I could combine, like pouring the new bag of sugar into the caniseter to save space.

A couple things I decided were better off moved to another location. Like the foil and plastic baggies found a new home in a nearby drawer with our paper plates. It's funny, I've always kept my foil and baggies in that exact spot in the pantry for over 15 years. It just never occured to me before today that they made more sense a few feet away. Be on the look out for those sort of things. Many times we get stuck in the same pattern and overlook more convenient storage options. If you're not sure, try it for a few weeks and if you don't like it there, move it back.

Next, I needed to STORE the things I intended to keep. I took a look at my different groups and mentally divided my shelves to come up with "zones" for each group. I decided I also wanted to try some plastic baskets to try to help keep things in the groups I'd worked so hard at sorting. I had a couple on hand that I had taken out of a previous re-organizing project. So, I began placing items back onto the shelves, placing some of the smaller items into the baskets.

I did end up purchasing two new baskets in a larger size for some of our sauces and baking items. But it was easy picking those out at the store because I knew what I needed when I got there. I knew from using my 3-step process, how many more baskets I needed and what size. I didn't hit the store without a plan only to come home with too many or not enough of the right kind of storage product.

One important thing you should know about this project: I only got rid of or removed a total of 4 items. This reorganization project was accomplished by utilizing the space (even as small as it is) to its best potential. I spent right around $5 on the two baskets and about 3o minutes total on the project. That's it! I finished off by adding some labels to the baskets with my label maker. Take a look around your home and see what you can tackle using the SOS Method. I'd love to see your success stories here! Please leave us a comment! I've also added a Mr. Linky if you want to post to your own blog. If you haven't registered for my SOS drawing, visit my initial post to find out more!

My Desk Needs Help

2008-05-19T20:33:00.001-04:00

I cannot believe I'm showing the world what my desk ~~looks~~ looked like just a few days ago. This is our computer desk. Everyone in my family uses this desk so it sees ALOT of stuff. Bills, banking, two home based businesses, school reports, occasional kid clutter (you know, misc. toys and hair accessories, that sort of thing), mail...you get the idea. Stuff goes on here.

Let's go on a little tour, shall we? You'll notice a myriad of papers, my "Polar Pop" ~~addiction~~ indulgence (in my defense, I really have cut back), computer, keyboard, etc. You can't really see from the picture, but there's also some things that don't belong in the "office" area. Even the area under the desk did not escape, as it had been used as storage space during our recent home improvement project, where anything and everything got "stuffed" under it and had not yet been relocated.

Using my SOS Method I began to Sort items into groups. Papers to be gone through, filed, discarded, receipts to be entered into our checking program, coupons that I'd clipped and my recipe project (putting favorites on the computer) all got sorted into piles. Anything that I came across that did not belong went into the shoe box over to the right. Things that already had a home on the desk (pens, paperclips, etc.) got put back to rights. Pictures that somehow made their way to the desk, but never to the wall were put in a pile to be hung once the project was complete. This is important, I DID NOT let my guilt take over and stop work during the sorting process to hang up photos that have been sitting there for weeks. Many times we make the mistake of getting side tracked during organization. This is how projects don't get finished.

Next was the Omit stage. Now, I've become accustomed to omitting during the sort and as a separate step. You'll get more used to this as you become comfortable with the process. So, if you find things during the sort that you definitely want to get rid of, put them in the appropriate place (trash, recycle, pile, etc.) But it's always a good idea to look through your keep piles after you're done sorting to try to omit more. I usually work with a trash can, recycle pile, donate pile and shredder depending on the job.

After omitting everything that I was going to be able to, I began storing the remaining items into their appropriate or new homes. I was lucky in that I already had all of the storage items I needed, it was just a matter of putting things in them. This would be the point though if I was lacking anything, that I would begin making a list of things I needed like drawer organizers, storage totes, file folders, etc.

Storing things always comes last. Don't try to determine what you need at the start of your project. You're apt to either keep more stuff than you normally would because you just bought the jumbo size tote or make extra trips to the store because you underestimated your needs. Here are some things that I use to help keep my desk space organized. Don't let the before pictures fool you...these things really do work when you haven't spent the last few weeks being lazy!

My desk doesn't have drawer space, other than a filing drawer, so I have to be creative with the storage space. I found a small drawer divider insert for under a dollar that fits perfect into this wicker basket. I liked the basket because it concealed the plastic, but you could just get a divder and call it a day. It all slides under the space below my computer monitor and holds paper clips, staples and all the little odds and ends.

A canvas bin takes the place of another drawer and holds computer cd's, cables and such.

A literature sorter helps me use the vertical space to the best potential. I can store printer paper, special paper, even a calculator, paper trimmer and extra business cards, which proves you don't always have to use things to store what they were intended.

And the finished product....

How can you use the SOS Method to spruce up your space? Try it on your next organizing project and let us know the results. You can post comments, or link to your own post on your blog using Mr. Linky. Don't forget the prize drawing. Read about it here.

Sendin' Out an SOS

2008-05-14T17:42:00.000-04:00

If you haven't read my initial post on this new series I'm doing here, catch up on the details in the first post here. While you're there you'll want to be sure to register for the upcoming drawing by linking on the Mr. Linky on that post. (This is the only way you'll be registered in the drawing!)

One thing I found when helping people get organized was that most of the time, they had no idea where to start. That's when I came up with an easy to remember acronym. It's what I call my SOS Method and it stands for Sort, Omit and Store. And this simple, easy to remember approach can be used when beginning any organizing project. Over the next few weeks I'm going to show you how I use the SOS Method in my own home, step by step. I'll post project updates from small (drawers and shelves), medium (like closets) to large areas (whole rooms) so you can see how this method works with any type of organizing project. You're welcome to comment and/or link up to your own blog with your own SOS projects as we go along.

Here's a breakdown of the steps I use:

1. Sort. Whether you're facing the unknown contents of your junk drawer or the entire mountain of clutter in the spare room, you're going to start with sorting. Sort your items into categories; like with like, similar use with similar and so on. You should be able to find easy to recognize categories for all of your items. While you're doing this keep your eyes peeled for anything that you're sure will be going in the trash or passed along to donation or another area of your home and set those aside.

2. Omit. Go back through all of your items and further remove anything that doesn't fit into the plan of your newly organized space. You may choose to omit items by donating, selling, throwing out, recycling, relocating or passing on to someone else who you know would want the item. Please check with them first before deciding that you are just going to show up at their door with your cast-offs! Sometimes we have the best intentions, but our idea of a treasure is not always someone else's.

3. Store. The items that you've decided are keepers need stored. Sometimes you have all of the storage products you might need. Other times you have to improvise or head to the store to purchase something more fitting and functional. Before you make a trip to the store, make sure you take any measurements you might need. For example, take measurements of your drawer for a new drawer divider, or the shelf height for storage bins.

Keep your specific types of storage needs in mind, like; CD storage, magazines, office supplies, clothing, etc, so that you're not just shopping blindly. Have a purpose in mind and a plan. The internet is a great way to get a good idea of all of the organizational products available without spending a lot of time at the store.

Once you've used the SOS Method, you'll never be at a loss as to where to start or what to do next when you're organizing. Sort, omit, store...remember it, use it and get organized!

Ready to Take on Bigger and Better Things?

2008-05-12T21:47:00.006-04:00

We've been working on Take 5 Friday projects for awhile now, I thought it would be a good time to throw in some bigger organizing projects. Plus, I'm doing some major overhauls in some areas of my house, so it's a good time for a little show and tell. I'm baring it all over the next few weeks, so to speak. Yep, even I have areas that get chaotic and cluttered. Didn't I tell ya, I'm not perfect?! So, it's time to reorganize, and guess what? You're coming with me!

We'll be putting Take 5 Fridays on hold for just the next few weeks until I get through my projects. But, by all means, if you're up to doing both, you can always do some Take 5's too or work back through some of the past weeks if you joined in late.

But, I don't want to do this alone. I have to have some of my friends with me! If you're up to taking on some of what I'm calling SOS Organizing (more on why in a later post), leave a link below. Those who have signed up here will be in the drawing for a prize (haven't decided what yet) at the end (haven't decided when yet)...Don't you just love how decisive I am?

Remember: You have to leave a Mr. Linky at least on THIS post for the drawing because it will drive me crazy trying to account for everyone at the end if you all link on different posts. You don't have to commit to weekly posts or links unless you want to, but I would like to have your comments on any project you've accomplished when I post mine. If for nothing else but so I know you're out there! I'll try to remember to add a Mr. Linky to each project for those who want to link to their own blog post.

There you go, I'm sending out my SOS! Who's in it with me?

Take 5 Friday - The Monsters Under the Bed

2008-05-10T21:52:00.004-04:00

Welcome to Take 5 Friday (even though it's Saturday). Sorry, I'm a day late in putting this up. If you took me up on the challenge for this week, I hope you made it out safe and sound from under the deep, dark depths underneath your bed. Did you find any monsters hiding under there or some over grown dust bunnies?

My bed was absolutely empty...honest! But, I have to admit, the only reason is because we just got a new bed a few weeks ago and I swore I wouldn't be putting the under-the-bed storage totes back. I'm going with this whole new feng shui thing and stuff under the bed promotes restless sleeping. So, it's totally clean under there!

Now, my youngest daughter's bed is another story. There's the kids' disassembled baby crib and an under-the-bed storage container full of clothes to grow into. I also found some of those pesky socks. Maybe this is why she wakes up grouchy...she doesn't sleep well. Hmm....maybe there's something to this feng shui. Which brings me to my oldest daughter's bed. Clearing out this one has me stumped because the only thing under her bed is her little sister (bunkbeds)!

How did you do this week?

A Great Giveaway

2008-05-07T20:08:00.004-04:00

Lara, my friend over at The Lazy Organizer is giving away two sets of Organizing Bags on her site. These come in various sizes so you get to try the whole variety. I'm so excited to be able to share this giveaway with my readers because I love these bags! And I've never found anything like them in the stores. So, this is a great opportunity for you to try them out. I've found all kinds of uses for them at my house...everywhere from the car to my purse. They're even great for helping the kids get organized, and anything that can do that gets my vote.

All you have to do is visit her site, leave a comment on her post and you're registered, that's it! Here's the catch: Lara is expecting her fourth baby and is down to the wire, ready to go at any time pregnant. So, time's running out and the contest will be over this Friday (unless she's too busy having a baby or something sort of important like that). Good luck!

Take 5 Friday Challenge

2008-05-05T20:08:00.003-04:00

I hope you're prepared...brace yourselves. This week I want you to brave the unthinkable. I want you to venture into long forgotten territory. Yep. You got it. I'm challenging you to clear the clutter from under your BED! Or your kid's bed. Whichever you feel brave enough to tackle.

Don't be scared. Just remember you DON"T have to commit to a long, grueling organizing session. Take 5 Friday is all about quick, 5 or 10 minute projects. So take a few minutes to see what you've got hiding under there (precaution should be used when looking under kid's beds!) Toss out what you immediately see is trash. See what you can find that belongs elsewhere; those long-forgotten dishes from your teenage son's midnight snacking, your daughter's "I dont' have a thing to wear" clothes, that stack of magazines from your last "sick day".

See how much you can get done when you "take 5" and report back here on Friday. Pictures are optional, but please post a warning statement if they're too scary!

Take 5 Friday - Your Big Give

2008-05-02T06:43:00.003-04:00

This week's Take 5 Friday followed on the heels of finally dumping some of that extra trash and challenged us to get together at least one bag or box to go to your charity of choice. I'm anxious to see how you all did with this challenge. Was it difficult to come up with one bag or did you find yourself doing even more?

How did you rate? Please feel free to post your comments and/or link to your own post.

How to Know When It's Time to Clean Out Your Closet

2008-04-30T17:51:00.002-04:00

Just in case you have ever wondered if there was a fool-proof way to know that it's time to clean out your closet and/or update your wardrobe, I have provided this guideline below:

You're sorting through your clothes closet, reorganizing some purses and articles of clothing
Your 5 year old is by your side "helping" you
You come across a skirt you haven't worn in quite a few years
With a critical eye, you debate whether to keep it or donate
Your 5 year old asks you if that was the skirt you wore when you were a grandma

Yes, this is a sure sign that this article of clothing is ready to go to Goodwill.

For the record, after a quick glance in the mirror to see if I had any extra gray hair or wrinkles, I assured my daughter that I have NEVER been a grandma. I'm taking the donation box to Goodwill right after I'm done playing BINGO.

Take 5 Friday Challenge

2008-04-29T19:55:00.003-04:00

Last week we worked on clearing out some trash. I challenged you to quickly go from room to room and toss at least one large bag full of trash. This week, let's take it one step further and see if we can't fill a box (or large bag) of useful items that can be donated to a good cause. In honor of Earth Week, let's recycle our unwanted things and let someone else put them to good use, instead of cluttering our homes.

By all means, if you still have LOTS more to toss, you may want to challenge yourself to get another bag or two together, but while you're at it, why not keep a look out for those things that can be passed on to someone who needs them?

Report back here on Friday to share your successes (or hangups!) Remember, this should be a quick sort process. If you have to think on something too long, it's ok to set it aside...for now!

Take 5 Friday - Takin' Out the Trash

2008-04-25T18:34:00.003-04:00

Well, it's Friday. How did you do with this week's challenge? Some of you have already commented that you found more than you thought you would or that it felt very "freeing" to remove that bag (or two) from your home. Some of you found trash and things to donate and you get bonus points! (If we were giving points, in which case you'd get double! But since we're not, you'll just have to settle for my sincere congratulations!)

Even as organized as I try to be I was easily able to come up with most of a large bag of "throw aways" and some more items to add to my garage sale pile. Yippee! So, how did you do? Feel free to post your comments here and/or use the Mr. Linky to link back to your own post about Take 5 Friday.

Take 5 Friday Challenge

2008-04-24T19:29:00.004-04:00

OK, I know that I'm throwing this challenge out there kind of late in the game. But I have faith in all of you. YOU can accomplish this one...it's so easy, yet many of us just look past it everyday. We overlook this so often that we become oblivious to it.

I'm talking about the things laying around our homes that are obviously destined for the trash bin but somehow don't seem to make it there for one reason or another. I want you to take a LARGE garbage bag and spend 5 or 10 minutes going room to room tossing stuff that is obvious trash.

This may sound simple, but trust me, you'll find more than you think. Your goal is to fill up your bag. This may seem more like cleaning than organizing, but think of it this way, you don't want to waste your precious time organizing things that need to be thrown out anyway. So think of this as a first step.

Come back here and let us know if you met your goal. Were you able to get just one bag full? Two? More?

Yes, I'm Still Here

2008-04-22T13:54:00.004-04:00

You know that it's getting bad when your readers begin to leave comments on your blog like, "Are you ever coming back?" Yes! I'm alive! I'm back! I'm ready to BLOG! And I have missed you all so much! I have to share my last week and a half...I didn't intend to be MIA for this long. Maybe a day or two tops, but I even missed my own Take 5 Friday post for cryin' out loud!

My husband and I dove head-on into a home improvement project that turned into about ten. First, we tore up all of our carpet in our living room and the vinyl from the kitchen. Then, we proceeded to put my knees and legs through sheer torture as we installed wood laminate flooring. While my husband is used to this type of work on a daily basis (he owns his own handyman/home improvement business), even he felt the wear and tear of an extra long weekend and late nights moving furniture and laying flooring.

Because I was the "low man on the totem pole" I had the all important task of prying out staples from the sub floor. (Next time I get to be the boss!) Well, they do say the basis for any good job is in the prep work, so I guess I can take most of the credit for the floors turning out as nice as they did.

I think the hardest part was just finding space to temporarily house things. Even though I thought I planned it all very well, I still felt like my life was in turmoil as we moved our belongings from room to room. Most of the time we had rain or threats of it, so we couldn't really take advantage of using outdoor space to move things. Although, our stove was on the back deck for a few days so I did manage to get out of cooking! At least there was that welcome break.

Well, we finally got everything back to rights and I could take a breather in my new, wonderful space...until...da, da, dum...he decides he has this past weekend free, too. So, we might as well get started on the floors in the lower level. Sure! Why not. I'm finally beginning to move my legs freely again. No sense in letting them get back into their pre-stretched state. Then I'd have to go through all that pain again.

Next, it's painting and carpeting in the upstairs and tile in the baths. So, if I go missing for several days, come find me. Chances are I'll be stripping wallpaper and pulling out more staples. If you want, I can put you to work, but you'll have to start, you know, at the bottom.

Take 5 Friday - Always Be Prepared

2008-04-10T21:31:00.007-04:00

This week's Take 5 Friday challenge we took a cue from the Boy Scout's..."Always be prepared." It seems no matter how organized I am, there are just some days that I never know what to expect. It never fails, when I'm in a really big rush, that's when someone will inevitably lose a button on their pants. Or discover a small rip in the seam of their favorite shirt that they just had to wear because they already had it all planned out with Friends A and B. So, this week I decided to plan ahead as much as I could for these little un-planned morning mishaps.

I found an unused small basket to serve as my emergency mend-it kit. I filled it with various sized buttons. You know all those spare buttons that come with new clothes...this is a great place to store them. Then, I threaded two needles; one with black and one with white thread and knotted the ends. I stuck the needles through a small slip of paper so they wouldn't get lost. I added a small pair of scissors, some safety pins and voila! Now, I'm ready to sew on a button or fix a small hole in a moments notice...that's sew easy!

What about you? Were you able to come up with a 5 or 10 minute project that can help you be better prepared for the little things life throws at you? Share your Take 5 Friday project with us. If you're new to Take 5 Friday, please read the guidelines about posting. Thanks for joining us!

Take 5 Friday Challenge

2008-04-09T06:44:00.004-04:00

This week's Take 5 Friday challenge will follow the Boy Scout motto--"Always be prepared". But, I'm leaving this week open to your imaginations. OK. I'll give you a few ideas to get you started.

You can prepare a "breakfast center" with bowls, spoons, cereal, etc. on a tray for quick and easy breakfasts. You can finally get around to putting together that first aid kit you've been meaning to do the day you brought your child home from the ER with 6 stitches. You could prepare for a less stressful morning routine by helping your children lay out their clothes for the rest of the week. You get the idea.

So...let's get started then post back here on Friday with your successes (or failures so we all don't repeat the same mistake!)

Organization is Like a Brand New Purse

2008-04-07T20:05:00.002-04:00

I was enjoying an afternoon this weekend with a group of ladies, learning some new scrapbooking techniques, when I was able to see first hand how most people view organization. One of the women, whom I had only met a few times before, was actually leery to sit next to the "organizing queen". I don't know, maybe she thought I would secretly be grading her workspace or something. I really hope I don't come across as that rigid and structured!

At one point in the various conversations, the subject came up again, so I said, "Will this make you feel better? Just look at my purse!" Then I whipped open my oversized bag to reveal its contents, happily "dumped" into my new purchase. See, I just bought it last week and I was so thrilled when I got my new bargain home, I just threw everything into it with no rhyme or reason. Not to mention that it doesn't really have enough inside pockets to actually organize anything, so I really don't have much choice about how things go in there. Not the most logical purchase on my part, but apparently I wasn't shopping with that side of my brain that day.

Anyway...she let out a squeal of joy and a sigh of relief, saying that did make her feel much better about sitting next to me. (I was hoping it was just my charming personality not the fact that I, too was capable of being messy.) I thought how funny it was that little 'ol me could strike fear and intimidation into people!

"And it doesn't bother you that your purse is a mess?" she asked. And the truth of the matter is, no, it doesn't. Eventually it might, when the newness of my shiny, black, patent (fake) leather, oversized-so-my-butt-looks-smaller-bag wears off (yep, it's a proven fashion illusion). But right now, I'm still basking in my 70% off purchase that I will happily spend a few extra moments rummaging through it to find my keys.

Organization is kind of like that new purse. You know you desperately want and need it but sometimes it seems just out of reach, like when the object of your infatuation is still marked at $99.99 and your budget is less than half that. If you are patient, it will usually go on sale. Just like if you're diligent and patiently work at it, organization will eventually come. It likely took you awhile to get disorganized, it won't get undone overnight. Have patience.

Sometimes you need to try something a little different. Don't be afraid to shake things up a bit. When I came home with my new purchase, my husband thought it was a little too garish, but I've gotten more compliments on that bag, and I like it. Sometimes with organization you have to think outside the box. Conventional solutions may not work for you. You're the one who has to live with it day in and day out. What worked for Suzy Homemaker down the street may not work for you.

And just like with my purse, good things happen when you let people take a peek into your home or life. It shows you're not afraid to be you. It puts people at ease, lets them know you're human. It lets others know you're someone who can accept them for who they are, messy purse and all.

Take 5 Friday - Returning Next Week

2008-04-03T06:30:00.000-04:00

For all you Take 5 Friday readers and participants, Take 5 Friday is "taking 5" this week. I'm going to be MIA the rest of the week and it will be difficult to post and/or respond to you. Rest assured it will return next week for your reading pleasure! Thanks for your support!

Take 5 Friday - Medicine Cabinet

2008-03-27T22:34:00.008-04:00

So this week I went to work on the medicine cabinet. You might have read in the challenge post earlier this week that I put up a freebie for the entry with the oldest expired medicine. (Don't forget, be sure you email me with your entries by Friday evening. I'll draw a winner on Saturday for a copy of my book The Organization Prescription.)

Since I'm obviously not entering my own contest I can share mine. I'm happy to report the oldest thing I found in our medicine cabinet expired 08/17/05. I didn't think that was too bad. I'll post some pics of how I keep our medicines organized later on Friday. I just wanted to get a jump start on this post so you can get in your entries for the drawing.

Keep organizin'!

Updated to add: Congrats to Avlor. She emailed me with the oldest medicinal remedy in her cabinet and will win a copy of my book, The Organization Prescription. Thanks for participating!

I promised pics. Here's my medicine cabinet, which is actually in my kitchen. For those of you who have your medicine in the bathroom, you may consider another location as heat and moisture (like from a shower) will cause the medicine to go bad/lose their potency. I sort our medicines into categories (like cold & allergy, children's, adults, etc.) and keep them separate in small plastic baskets. It sure helps when you're fighting a cold to have to just look in one place for quick relief!

Take 5 Friday Challenge

2008-03-26T20:28:00.006-04:00

You can thank my friend Dr. Leah over at Transformation Revolution for this week's Take 5 Friday idea. She suggested to me that we tackle the medicine cabinet and I took a look at mine. Sure enough, after this past cold and flu season, it looked like it could use a dose of organization! (Sorry, couldn't help that one!) So, this week, take a few minutes to peek inside your medicine cabinet, and maybe your first aid kit if you have time. Toss out expired prescriptions and take note of anything you might need to restock. Come back here and share your progress on Friday.

Let's give you some extra incentive this week. I'll be giving away a copy of my book "The Organization Prescription; Your Immunization to Disorganization" to the person who finds the oldest expired item in their cabinet. How fitting is that?! Here are the rules:

Email me with your oldest expiration date (to keep the entries a secret) by this Friday.

On Friday post a short comment on the Take 5 Friday post, then link up using Mr. Linky.

Post your project on your site, and link to Organizational Enlightenment.

I'll email and announce the winner on Saturday, March 29, 2008 for those participants who emailed me their entry.

Good luck and see you back here on Friday!

10 Interesting (?) Things About Me

2008-03-23T12:50:00.007-04:00

I've recently been "tagged" and honestly, this is somewhat new to me. The rules state you have to share some things about yourself, no problem. And then tag other "bloggy" people. This is where I get hung up...I don't know that many bloggers yet! So, I decided, I still wanted to share some little known things about me even if I didn't end up tagging others. So here goes...in no particular order of weirdness:

I have just recenlty let go of my ~~obsession~~ preference to have the folded edge on the bath towels face in the same direction in the linen closet.
I used to change the toilet paper roll in other people's houses if it was on the "wrong" way. You're going to think twice before you invite me over now, aren't you?
I generally don't like taking baths. I prefer showers. I can't get it out of my head that I'm wasting time if I take a long soak.
I have made it my personal mission to drive more often when we go places as a family since I found out my youngest daughter thought "girls weren't allowed to drive boys around".
My husband thinks I've made it my personal mission to drive him nuts.
I sometimes have an uncanny ability to picture a person in my head and then run into them a few minutes later. (Just for the record, this is not always a gift...there are some people that you'd just rather avoid!)
If we're driving by a house at night and the blinds are open, I'm checking it out to see how they decorate/live. This is why it's good to have my husband drive. You're going to think twice before you leave your blinds open now, aren't you?
When I was little, I had a short-lived habit of biting my toenails...gross, I know, but I was 3, people! I've outgrown that now...I can't put my feet up that high. I'm really going to regret sharing that one.
I don't like eating in a restaurant by myself, but I'll go to the movies alone.
I've never flown in an airplane, but I did go up in a hot air balloon once at a fair.

There you go. Ten little known things about me. This little exercise in self-discovery just made me realize I'm more quirky than I thought. I'll find out after posting this if I still have any friends after they read #2 & #7...and maybe #8.

Take 5 Friday - The Mom Taxi

2008-03-21T20:19:00.001-04:00

My van had started to look like a caravan for wayward things instead of a mode of transportation for people. The front (my domain) wasn't too bad, but the dash looked like it hadn't seen a dustcloth in the the 3 years since I'd bought it. But, whoa! One look in the middle section where my two adorable kids sit and I knew it had to be done.

Until you actually SIT in the back from their vantage point, you don't really see all the stuff kids can cram into those side pockets! I actually even have to open the driver side back door every day when I help my littlest in and out of her carseat and I still didn't notice!

I figured the best line of defense in this case was to empty everything into a grocery sack and have the kids sit down and determine what was going to stay and what would go. I tossed the things that were clearly trash and wiped off the front dash. That took all of ten minutes and the van looked so much better for it. I would have still felt I'd accomplished something even if I'd have stopped there.

But, the great thing about these ten minute projects is that sometimes when you do have extra time, it inspires you to do more. I got out the shop vac and vacuumed the floors and the kids' seats where bits and pieces of snacks had accumulated...yuck!

What happened to that bag of stuff? I brought it inside, gave them their assignment. I heard everything from "that's not trash" to "but I need that for something to do". I'll fill you in...we live about 20 minutes from any location that we frequent and we haven't been on a "trip" that takes longer than an hour in over 3 years. They don't need anything to keep themselves that occupied. By the time we've reached our destination, they're still too busy squabbling with each other over the last thing they were arguing about when we left the house. All that stuff is NOT going back into the van!

The bag is still sitting in their room...waiting for one of them to cave and start putting their things away. I guess they didn't "need" that stuff after all. They're at their grandparents' this weekend...do you think they'd miss it if it "disappeared"?

What about you, did you tackle the junk in your trunk this week? Or maybe another, small but meaningful organizing project? Share your story with us here! If you're new to Take 5 Friday, please read the guidelines before posting. Thanks for participating!

Take 5 Friday - Challenge

2008-03-18T21:13:00.000-04:00

Now that warmer weather is finally here (I hope, although it's currently rainy), I'm itchin' to clean out my van. I try to keep it fairly clean as we go by keeping a trash basket in between the back seats and carrying a tote bag to bring things back into the house. But every once in awhile, it deserves (and needs!) a quick clutter busting session.

So this week, your Take 5 Friday challenge is to get in there and clear out the junk in your trunk. Toughen up and tell those fast food sacks to hit the road and the the kids' gear to take a hike. If you feel really energized you can drag out the vacuum, but the most important and first step is to do the quick sort and toss. See how much you can accomplish in 5 or 10 minutes, then report back here on Friday to let us know how you did.

M.I.A.

2008-03-18T20:35:00.003-04:00

Wow! Over a week since my last post! Where did the time go? I'm not entirely sure. It was like the week was over before I knew it and I didn't even have time to get in last week's Take 5 Friday post. I don't even think I turned my computer on more than twice last week.

Ah well, we all need a break from the norm every once in awhile and for no reason in particular...last week was my lazy week. But, I'm back!

Take 5 Friday - Desktop

2008-03-07T14:44:00.003-04:00

So this week I challenged you (and myself) to focus on cleaning up our desktops...and I don't mean the horizontal space in front of me as I write this post. I mean our computers themselves; the desktop, the hard drive, those temporary internet files, old emails; all those files we save that clutter up our inboxes and computer.

I have to admit, this one wasn't as fun or satisfying for me as most of my organizing projects, but it needed to be done. I keep up pretty well on my emails, deleting as I go. So I usually only have about a dozen in my inbox at any given time. But I did have some old files that I was able to chuck and I like to delete my temporary internet files every once in awhile to keep the system running smoothly. If you've never deleted your temporary internet files, you can find some easy to follow instructions here.

Did anyone else attempt this or another Take 5 Friday project this week? (You can still post any 5-15 minute organizing project you completed, even if it wasn't this week's challenge idea). Notice I said 5-15 minutes; think "coffee break" time here. It doesn't have to be exactly 5 mintues and you'll find that you'll get faster at organizing the more you do. Have fun with it!

Take 5 Friday Challenge

2008-03-03T22:45:00.003-04:00

For this week's Take 5 Friday project I'm going to look no further than my computer. While we may take the time to clear our actual desk tops, we often forget our desktops. Got that? We're talking computer clutter, new age "junk mail", over stuffed file folders...or worse yet, no files at all. Where every electronic document we've saved over the past 5 years is haphazardly stored on our desktop or in unknown locations on our hard drives.

So, this week take 5 or 10 minutes to do a quick purge of the clutter from your computer. Add some file folders, delete some emails, empty your "trash". Then, come back here on Friday and let us know how you did. Trust me, your computer will thank me for it!

Take 5 Friday - Makeup Bag

2008-02-29T06:33:00.000-04:00

So, how many of you were up for the challenge this week? I gave you the "assignment" of clearing the clutter out of your makeup bags (or whatever you use to corral your arsenal of beauty products). I actually use a plastic caddy with a handle. I stow it under my bathroom cabinet when it's not in use. So it doesn't have to be pretty, but it does need to be organized so I can get ready and get out the door fast.

As I was emptying the contents of mine, I did find some things that were alot older than I expected. I had some eyeliner that I'm pretty sure was around before my oldest was born...dare I say 11+ years ago!?! Yikes! But no funky teal-colored mascara or iridescent lip gloss. Whew! That would be a blast from the past!

I tossed the out dated, worn out items and one item I bought but didn't like. You'll notice I have a small bag (blue one) in my caddy. That's now reserved for everyday makeup (eyeshadow, mascara, coverup, and 2 lipsticks choices). I found another small bag (black one)that I added to store my "special" makeup, like some of the more dramatic eyeshadow and highlighting powder so it's out of my way of everyday use.

How did you do? Did you find anything over 10 years old? Older? How 'bout anything that brought back memories of the 80's??? It's amazing what we can do to get better organized in just a few minutes. How did you do this week? We'd love to hear your results! If you're new to Take 5 Friday, please read the short list of helpful guidelines before posting.

Add Some Ambiance

2008-02-28T21:29:00.006-04:00

We've covered sight, smell, taste and touch. Sound is the final sense I wanted to add more of to put a little heart into our home. Now, my kids already add plenty of their own sounds, but I was thinking more along the lines of calm and soothing sounds. So I went in search of a water feature. I found one like this at a local store (got it for $5 on clearance!! But you can usually pick them up for around $20)

I put it on my bedside table. I gotta say, I was worried the sound of trickling water would be sending me back and forth to the bathroom most of the night, but so far it hasn't. :) It's so relaxing and this one's lighted so that it looks like flickering candles. When I brought it home and set it up, my husband came home, caught sight of the flickering "flames" and went sprinting upstairs because he thought the bedroom was on fire! I was, of course, ~~laughing my head off~~ very concerned that I had needlessly scared him. So, you can see this is a great way to add some "spark" to your bedroom!

Pillow Talk

2008-02-28T21:12:00.004-04:00

Texture and fabric can add so much to our homes. I love pillows and they combine both of these elements. Pillows instantly add a level of "homey-ness" and comfort to a room. I was shocked though at some of the prices I saw when I went out pillow shopping recently! It was nothing to see decorative "throw" pillows going for $30 or more. I'll tell you one thing, if I pay that much for a pillow, I'm sure not going to be throwing it or letting anyone lay, lounge, sleep, sit or wallow on it!

So, I settled for my old standby; decorative pillow covers. I've made decorative pillow covers in the past and they're great because they're removable so you can put them in the wash and they don't get all "smushed" like regular pillows. You can slip them over cheap pillow forms from a fabric store or update your look by covering your old existing pillows. Plus they are super easy to make.

I'll work on posting a tutorial on how to make these easy pillow covers and post it soon. Darn...might have to make some more so I can get some good pictures during the process!

Take 5 Friday Challenge

2008-02-27T20:11:00.005-04:00

Becky over at Boys Rule My Life was up for a little challenge. She suggested that I issue an "assignment" this week to give you some ideas on a specific project to work on for Take 5 Friday. I thought it was a great idea. So...whatcha think? Are you up for a challenge?

This week I think I really have to work on my make-up container. I know there's some out-dated stuff in there and some products that I really didn't like, but just never took the time to get rid of. So, it's time to do some sorting and purging.

Let's make this challenge fun. Posting your before and afters are great, but also give us the scoop on how long you've been holding on to some of this stuff! Have you had that blue eye shadow since the first time blue eye shadow was "in"? Are you guilty of still hanging on to that tube of teal green mascara or irridecent lip gloss from the 80's?

Come on! 'Fess up and join in the fun! Let's clear the clutter outta those makeup bags and join us for Take 5 Friday to post your results! If you're new to Take 5 Friday, you can catch up on the guidelines here. It's a quick and easy way to get organized with projects that are designed to be completed in the time it takes for a coffee break (5-15 minutes--not those hour long type of breaks!) See you back here on Friday!

Super Fruit Bowl

2008-02-26T19:16:00.006-04:00

We've talked about how appealing to the 5 senses can help you add heart to your home. It's not that hard to figure out how to incorporate sight, touch, scent and even sound into our decor. But, taste is something we don't always think about adding into our home decorating scheme. I spent some time thinking about this and decided that even the simple act of placing a bowl of fruit (or even some tempting chocolates) on a nearby table is enough to bring some sense of "taste" into our homes. It seems to add this casual "help yourself" atmosphere to our spaces.

I recently added a bowl of fruit to our kitchen table. Instead of keeping the fruit in an out-of-the-way spot on the counter, having it displayed not only looks nice, it prompts the kids to want to snack more healthy. See, I told ya we don't always eat like this! The kids have been at the fruit all week. These left over bananas will end up in a loaf of banana-nut bread in a couple days and I'll try rotating the types of fruit we add to keep them from getting bored.

If you put some thought into it, there's a way to add a little heart into your home in any room with even the simplest of things. How do you added that special touch to make your home more comforting and inviting to your family and friends? Feel free to share your comments and posts here!

Take 5 Friday - Kids Drawers

2008-02-21T19:53:00.001-04:00

Drawer dividers are great...but they need to include at least a PG 13 rating. They just don't work well for kids. Kids get frustrated with the exact-ness required to put things neatly into them (let's face it, so do some adults). So, how do you keep those drawers straight without acting like the clothing police? Two words: mini crates.

These small storage crates from Sterilite are great. They "lock" together side-by-side, and they fit perfectly in my kids' drawers. I spent 5 minutes this week and made a HUGE difference in how my daughters put away and find their own clothes. Now that's a great return on investment of my time! Plus, they were less than a dollar each!

Before (left), my daughter's socks and underwear were mixed in with her pj's. Now (right), she has a separate crate for undies, one for socks and another that will be rotating (tights in the winter, swimsuits in the summer). It's amazing how much extra space it actually gave her because the crates keep articles more compact.

I did this in my oldest's drawer, too. But she would just "die of embarassment" if I showed you all her panties! All this in only 5 minutes! How about you? What did you accomplish in the time it takes for a coffee break? Share your posts and comments here. If you're new to Take 5 Friday, please read the guidelines before posting.

Give Away

2008-02-19T16:36:00.004-04:00

As you've probably (hopefully) read, I've declared February "Put Your Heart Into It" month. I've been busy bringing warmth and comfort into my home to ward off the cold, dreary weather outside. Well, as part of the month long celebration, I promised some give-aways. And seeing how it's nearly the end of the month (gesh!) I thought I better get my act together!

So, here's the first one: it's a book from Hallmark called Keeping Life Simple: 7 Guiding Principals, 500 Tips & Ideas by Karen Levine. Now, this book was originally published in 1996 (gee, was the reference to pay phones a clue?) but much of the information is very timeless in ideas for bringing simplicity to our homes and surroundings.

So, here's the deal. Leave me a comment here about something you've done to put some heart in your home this month with your blog link or your email. You can put your email address in this format: soandso[at]thisandthat[dot]com so the spammers don't pick up on it. I'll figure it out! I'll choose a winner this Friday and post the update here. Good luck!

A Mom's Work is Never Done

2008-02-18T21:13:00.000-04:00

I'm attempting to corral the kids into bed when I notice a mirad of coloring utensils on the living room floor. I return to their bedroom and send my youngest downstairs with the instructions to pick up her pencils.

I realize now that maybe I should have been alittle more specific, because she happily returned with her little bag filled with all of 5 pencils which she promptly dropped off in my bedroom. Don't ask me why. They apparently belong in there along with my oldest's hairbrush, their discarded pjs from this morning, a pair of slippers and a stray stuffed animal.

Meanwhile, in the living room, the remaining crayons and markers sat there, lonely for being left behind. At this point I figure I might as well do it myself...at least they'll get in bed that much faster! (Isn't that what it usually comes down to?) So, they're off to bed and I'm left holding the bag, so to speak...and picking up the markers, and crayons, and oh, yeah the coloring books. Let's not forget those.

I think "My work here is finally done for the night." Little did I know I had things to do in the bathroom before I could find some peace. When I flip on the light I'm greeted by the sight of what else? More markers, right next to some of those socks. I'm somewhat dismayed by this. Not because the fact there are markers in the bathroom...but because there's not a single thing to color on in sight!

Believe me, I checked every hidden inch of wall space and no masterpieces were to be found (whew!). I guess I can just chalk it up to another one of life's great mysteries. At least now I can take a well deserved break. I think I'll turn in early...right after I write this post, check some emails, catch up on my favorite blogs, pay some bills...

Take 5 Friday - The Snack Basket

2008-02-15T22:29:00.007-04:00

First, I have to say: you must know that we do NOT eat all this junk food on a regular basis. Really. It's just that with the Valentine's holiday and then Girl Scout Cookie orders just coming in, we REALLY have an overload of snack food. The basket I keep for our stash became overly full under the UNUSUALLY (and I stress this) large amount of ~~junk~~ food.

So, I dumped everything and did a quick sort, taking out the Valentine cards, pencils and other non-food things the kids had brought home. I separated each of their candy stash into plastic zipper seal bags. I made sure the chip bags were all secured (Note handy office binder clip closure. Love these!) and just tidied it up. As if they weren't appealing enough, now these snacks are downright irresistible.

I have a rule at our house. Whatever leftover candy is still in the basket by the time the next holiday rolls around gets tossed. In otherwords, if there's Christmas candy come Valentine's day, it's outta there. This works pretty good. But looking at it today I could just tell that this basket was not going to hold out until Easter. By the way, just so you know, I wasn't looking in the basket for anything in particular. Nope. Not me. Just looking, that's all. And I most definitely wasn't even thinking of taking that last peanut butter cup in the bottom of my daughter's Valentine's bag!

What's your Take 5 Friday project? I'd love to see your before and afters! If you're new to Take 5 Friday, please read guidelines before posting.

Finding Sancutary

2008-02-14T21:27:00.000-04:00

I found this great blog by Rachel Anne at Home Sanctuary. She shares small things we can do each day to create sanctuary in our homes. This was the perfect site for me to get some great ideas to add some heart into my own home this month. I'm sure Rachel Anne won't mind if we borrow some of her ideas! She makes it so easy with small, manageable projects each day. Thanks Rachel Anne!

Check Out My New Look

2008-02-12T18:50:00.001-04:00

I'm back and sporting a new look! Ya like? There I am, up there in the left hand corner, except the short hair and maybe add a few pesky pounds. Trying to maintain peace and sanity while keeping an eye peeled for all those day to day things that can sometimes throw a wrench into it! Is that you too? I thought so. Do you sometimes feel like you need some organizational enlightenment to help you keep all the other things we have going on (mom, wife, cook, chaufer, career girl...) in check? Me too!

What all do you juggle in your day to day ventures that threaten the organization and sanity of your life? Post your comments (please...so I know you're out there and I'm not alone! LOL!)

Just in case you're wondering...the 'Nap Warden' over at NW Designs created my new look. Literally people...this idea popped into my head and she put it together in a matter of a few hours. Amazing work!

Take 5 Friday - Book Collection

2008-02-08T21:03:00.000-04:00

This week I took a few minutes to do a quick sort of my book shelf. I pulled off books that I had previously enjoyed but felt ready to pass on to someone else. I heard about this great site called paperbackswap I was anxious to check out where you list your unwanted books (super easy!). Then when another member requests a book from you, you get credit to request books for yourself. The only cost is the shipping!

I've sent out three books so far and have requested a few for myself. It's a great way to keep your book collection in check and still enjoy the titles you want to read.

What great organizing project were you able to complete this week in 5 minutes or so? Post your project link here and share it with others. If you're new to Take 5 Friday, please check out the guidelines when posting. Can't wait to see what you come up with!

You Light Up My Life

2008-02-05T22:46:00.000-04:00

One thing I know for sure, when you want to really add warmth to your home, you have to appeal to the five senses. Candles hit two of those; sight and smell. Candles just seem to bring an ambiance to a room and instantly makes a place feel "homey".

I went shopping today and found some really pretty new candles that have a spicy, oriental scent to them. I don't really care for the perfumed, flowery scents, but give me a candle or room freshener that's woodsy or food related and I'm a happy camper!

I rearranged my shelf in my living room to make room for the candles. An added bonus, this shelf's up high enough so little hands aren't going to be doing any exploring.

Take a look around your home and see what you can do this month to "put your heart into it". We'd love to see what you came up with! Post your link and comment here and share your story!

Put Your Heart Into It

2008-02-02T15:29:00.000-04:00

In honor of Valentine's Day, and to pass the time during these dreary winter months (Another 6 weeks! Are you KIDDING me?!?! What does a groundhog know anyway?) I'm declaring February "Put Your Heart Into It" month. Yep, I'm just making up my own month-long holiday. I'm the Organizing Muse...so I can do that, right? Don't us muses have some special authorities or something?

Anyway...I'm going to while away the winter hours (like I don't have anything else to do) bringing calm and serinity to my home. I know you're thinking "With kids? Yeah, right." But I contend that it can be done. Even if only a tiny part of my home is able to be carved into a peaceful retreat, I will have my sanctuary I tell you!!

I'll add a Mr. Linky to the posts so you can join in if you want to and show everyone the ways you've added a little heart into your home. All I ask in return is that you link back here so your readers can find out more about Organizational Enlightenment.

Those Socks are Tricky

2008-01-27T09:10:00.000-04:00

It's not so much the dryer eating socks that baffles me anymore. In fact, I don't think this phenomenon has occurred in our household for quite some time. I finally got a new washer and dryer a couple years ago and apparently the sock monster that resided in my old set went with it. (Won't he be surprised when he finds he's in the middle of an appliance graveyard and not a sock in sight!)

But this mystery does involve socks. They're tricky little things, you know. And it's not just the little kid socks. It seems to plague my husband's socks as well. When socks are shed at the end of the day, they seem to want to lie among the dirty clothes in little wrong-side-out balls, prompting me to have to put them back to rights before I load them into the washer.

Now, I know for sure that this mystery cannot be because my family takes them off incorrectly. Because I'm fairly certain that I've told them time and time again that if they pull their socks off from the toe, this will not happen. They are all well aware of my plight, and I'm sure they can grasp the idea that if socks are in a little ball, they do not get cleaned and dried properly. Still, the socks end up coming to the laundry room all wadded up.

No, I'm convinced there has to be a mean-spirited sock fairy lurking somewhere in our home who's goal it is to drive me nuts. Surely my family would not make this extra work for me. Would they?

Take 5 Friday - Mailing Center

2008-01-24T21:09:00.000-04:00

This week's Take 5 Friday project takes us to my mailing center. This is an area of my home office cubby that I use to store mailing supplies (not incoming mail...that's in a different area). My mailing center has been pretty well established for quite some time now, but it was starting to look like, well, a mess. So I thought it was about time to put it on the Take 5 list of things to do. I was having a hard time finding things easily and when you run across .39 cent postage, you realize it may have been awhile since you last cleaned it out. I resorted everything into categories; labels, envelopes, thank-you cards and stamps and tossed or relocated items that didn't belong or weren't usable. Then, I re-stored them in separate compartments of this upright sorter.

Looks much better and more functional, don't ya think? The best part about designating a mailing center is that you always know where to find things when you need them and where to put things away when you're picking up. If you don't already have one, you can easily set up your own mailing center similar to this one in just a few minutes. Just pick a logical spot that fits your needs (usually the kitchen or home office area), find a nice container to house everything and equip it with all of the items you need for mailing.

Take 5 Friday is all about finding things we can do in just 5 minutes time that can help us get or stay better organized. What 5 minute organizing project did you work on this week? Post your own Take 5 Friday project then link to Organizational Enlightenment so we can all share and receive helpful tips with each other.

Talk About Tuesday - Tote Bag

2008-01-22T18:45:00.000-04:00

Finally! I've been waiting to post something on The Lazy Organizer's Talk About Tuesday blog and I finally have done something worth talking about! Keep in mind, I am not a seamstress by any means. I've sewn some pillows, some curtains, some other small crafty-type stuff...you know, things that barely require a somewhat straight line. But this was a first for me. It's a reversible tote bag. I found the instructions over on Chocolate on My Cranium. I wanted mine a "little" bigger so I could use it to tote stuff to and from the van.

So, I just made some adjustments to the dimentions to get the size I wanted.

Yep, that looks about big enough!

Head on over to The Lazy Organizer to see what everyone else is talking about!

Take 5 Friday - Get Hooked Up

2008-01-18T20:38:00.000-04:00

This week's 5 minute organization project takes place in my two daughters' shared walk-in closet. Seems that little girls have lots of accessories! They also had a large expanse of useless wall space.

Before

In just 5 short minutes it was turned into a very useable storage spot with the addition of some hooks. What's great about these hook sets is that there are a total of 8 hooks mounted onto a wood strip, so that you only have to put 2 holes in the wall for each section! Each daughter got a set of hooks. I gave them ideas for what to hang up and my work here was done. Plus, my 5 minutes were up.

After

When I returned a short time later to inspect their progress, I found they had wisely used the talents their mom gave them (ahem) to hang their robes, some small purses and belts. My oldest, realizing that she had a grand total of 22 belts (yikes!), actually took it upon herself to cut that number in half. I'm so proud of her [dabs at eyes].

See! Look what you can do in just 5 minutes! What's your Take 5 Friday project this week? If you're new to Take 5 Friday, please read the general guidelines here. You'll also notice that I've now added Mr. Linky below to make it easy for you all to join in!

Mr. Linky's test

2008-01-15T17:14:00.001-04:00

This is a test of the Mr. Linky broadcast system...this is only a test.

Shameless Sales Pitch

2008-01-13T16:05:00.000-04:00

Today I'm throwing all caution to the wind and posting a shameless sales pitch. I really want to set a record this month on my book sales. I'm not ashamed to admit it. See, I want to be featured as "top author" in the realm of Lulu, my book printer.

If you've ever saw the photo of my book (over there to the left) and thought "hmm...I bet that book, 'A Life Less Cluttered' could really help me become the organized person I've been dreaming of", then now is the time to get a copy of your own (e-book, paperback or hardback). If not for me and my quest as top author, then think of all of the reasons you have to become better organized. Better yet, think of all of the times you've tried to become more organized, but fell short. (I warned you this was a shameless sales pitch!)

Many of you have made it your goal or resolution to work on your organizing skills, but the place to start is with the traits of organized people. That's where you really start seeing changes...and results. That's why this book is different. It focuses on addressing those issues within ourselves before you tackle a mountain of chronic, reoccurring clutter. This book helps all of those tips and to-dos of organization really sink in and take hold. Buy a copy today and begin living A Life Less Cluttered! Need more convincing? Read the review on Organizing Junkie's product reviews.

Take 5 Friday - My Sanity

2008-01-10T23:22:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Take 5 Friday. Feel free to leave your comments. If you'd like to join in and link to your own Take 5 Friday post, please check out the guidelines for posting.

Our mornings and bedtimes have been very chaotic lately and it occurred to me that the main reason was we had fallen out of our regular routines. This makes for a very frustrated mom and cranky kids. I decided to print out some guidelines to help make our day start and end on a better note. Now, the logistics of the timing took some pre-thinking, but I'm pretty good on the clip art, so it only took me about 5 minutes to put together a kid-friendly version.

One side note: I am not a strict, stick-to-the-schedule-to-the-letter type. I don't want anyone thinking I'm going to be standing over my kids with a stopwatch, blowing a whistle. But I'm hoping this will at least keep them on track with steps to follow. The pictures will help my youngest, my oldest can stay on track and hopefully Mom will keep her sanity!

Edited to add: I realized after I posted this that the sheets wouldn't stay nice and neat for long. So, I put the two pages (morning and evening schedules) back to back and slipped them into a clear, plastic sheet protector. I'm happy to report that this morning's activities went off without any major setbacks!

Sparkbook- Organizational Inspiration

2008-01-09T21:55:00.000-04:00

I can't take credit for this idea. It was on Home Made Simple's website, but I wanted to share it with you. It's called a Sparkbook. It's not your typical to-do list or planner. It's a tool to help you visualize the things that you want to accomplish, a place to jot down inspirational stuff, goals, ideas and more. I made mine with things I already had at home and it took me all of 15 minutes. (That's mine, there on the left) I used paper from my scrapbooking supplies to make the tabs and printed clear labels to make for nice, neat dividers. I used a blank book I'd picked up awhile back because I liked the color, so I knew I'd enjoy using it.

You can customize your's with tabs that suit your own needs, including things like: Home, Family, Personal, Career, Inspirational, Financial, etc. I'm going to include pictures of things that inspire me as well. Kind of like a portable visualzation board without taking up the wall space!

Take 5 Friday - My Purse

2008-01-04T18:57:00.000-04:00

I've been noticing lately that it's taking me longer to find things in my purse and I think my right shoulder has begun to develop a "drop" due to the weight of it all. So, I figured this week it was time to just grin and bear it and do a total overhaul.

Best thing to do is to start by dumping everything on your kitchen table. Right during the middle of breakfast is the best time. It just makes it so much easier when you have the kids rummaging through the contents of your purse. Take an inventory of the items you find in your purse just for comic relief, if nothing else. Mine included things like:

5 lipsticks/glosses (necessary due to different shades)

1 daughter's Disney Princess chap-stick (confiscated due to the breaking of the cardinal rule of rolling up too far)

3 tubes hand lotion (it may be dry winter weather, but why would anyone need this many is even beyond me)

2 sets of keys

Bills/mail to be dropped off

Note pad (but not a pen in sight)

MP3 player

Palm Pilot

12 assorted discount/reward store cards

Cell phone

Wallet

1 Piece of daughter's partially chewed "hot, hot, owww hot!" gum in wrapper

Business card holder

Coupon for Bath & Body Works

Current choice of reading material (in this case The Pillars of the Earth...highly recommended)

The only thing in the whole mess that I can say was organized was my lipsticks because I had previously put them in a Teeny Tiny Organizing Bag. I decided I could do without 2 tubes of hand lotion, my book (for today because I wouldn't have time to read it while I was out) and the chewed gum. I dropped off the bills/mail and spent the coupon (on more lotion none-the-less) and my 4 year old took back her chapstick with the promise to abide by the rules.

I think you'll agree it looks much better and at least I'm walking upright now! What can you do in 5 minutes to be better organized? Post your comment and link to your own Take 5 Friday post to join in. Come on...I can't be the only one having all the fun!

Post Holiday Stress Syndrome; 8 Steps to a Speedy Recovery

2008-01-03T23:50:00.000-04:00

I don't typically get too stressed before or during the holidays. It's the aftermath that usually hits me hardest. Not only are things more out-of-sorts with all of the stuff, but there's something a little depressing to me about the un-decking of the halls, so I tend to procrastinate with this task. I have learned a few tricks over the past few years that have helped me recuperate more quickly. Here's my 8 Step Recovery Process to help curb that Post Holiday Stress Syndrome:

Go through clothing, toys and other household goods before the gift-giving season hits to reduce and eliminate unwanted or unused items and prevent overload. (Sorry...ummm, maybe you can use that one next year!)

Set up a large box or plastic bin for each family member to separate and store their unwrapped gifts while in transit and until they find their permanent spot. Once emptied, use the plastic totes to store holiday decorations or off season clothing.

Plan upcoming menus using holiday leftovers and freeze some meals for those evenings over the next few weeks when cooking is out of the question.

Break down the post-holiday clean up into steps. Work on one small project at a time, like un-decorating and putting away the holiday dishes.

Spread the cheer. While leaving your Christmas tree up until February may be a little embarrassing, snowmen until St. Patty's Day (at least in some climates) isn't completely out of the realm of possibilities. Work on putting away the most season specific items first, then move on to less distinctive decorations.

If holiday overspending has got you down, the best way to face it is head on. It's time to review your budget and determine how much extra you can apply to pay toward your outstanding balances until they are paid off. Better to tighten the belt now for a few months than to still be paying on holiday bills this time next year.

If you have multiple credit cards, once one is paid off, apply that regular payment to another card in addition to what you were already paying. You'll multiply your efforts and get rid of debt even quicker. (This tip works great all year round!)

Finally, take some time for yourself. This time of the year can be just as stressful as the holidays themselves, if not more. We're all so busy this time of year, we often forget ourselves. It's a great time to take up a new hobby, start an exercise program, curl up with a good book or just catch up with friends.

Take 5 Friday - The Season of Giving

2007-12-30T23:12:00.000-04:00

OK, so I'm a few days late on my Take 5 Friday, but that's only because it took me a couple of days to get my family motivated to join in on this one. And what's the best way to make use of your 5 minutes? Get your family members to also pitch in for 5 minutes...that's a total of 20 minutes worth of work for a family of four (minus 7 minutes per child under the age of 6!)

We spent 5 minutes in a quick "game" of find the give-aways and were easily able to fill up this box to go to Goodwill before the timer ran out. Now that's what I call spending your time wisely!

How much were you able to accomplish in just 5 minutes this week? Share your comments here then link to your own Take 5 Friday post!

Organizing Bags

2007-12-15T20:17:00.000-04:00

I'm so excited! I just got my shipment of Organizing Bags from The Lazy Organizer. It's like Christmas came early for me! I've ordered some of these bags in the past, but this time I got the variety pack with all the different sizes. You have to check out Lara's site for all of her great ways to stay organzied using these bags.

I'm looking forward to sharing all of the great uses I find for these amazing bags with everyone. I'll keep ya posted. Has anyone else found some unique uses for these bags? Share your ideas here!

Take 5 Friday - The sock basket

2007-12-14T20:34:00.000-04:00

This week I took a few minutes out of my busy schedule to match up renegade socks. I keep a medium sized basket in my laundry room to toss in lone socks as they come out of the dryer. Then, about once a month I sit down and go through it. Usually, by this time most of the strays have managed to catch up with each other and they can be paired up. This saves me time the rest of the month because I know eventually they'll catch up to one another and I don't have to fret over finding matches right away.

What did you accomplish this week in 5 minutes or less? To read more about Take 5 Friday, visit the Guidelines post and join us every week to see what others are up to!

Free shipping

2007-12-12T22:50:00.000-04:00

This month until December 31st, I'm offering readers FREE shipping on my book, A Life Less Cluttered. Just click here to be directed to the PayPal payment screen and your order will be delivered to your door within 2 - 4 weeks. This is a first time offer and won't be availalbe forever, so pick up your copy today!

Take 5 Friday - The Frige

2007-12-07T04:16:00.000-04:00

Maybe you noticed that I didn't make the Take 5 Friday post last week. That's what happens when you don't take at least 5 minutes to rest yourself...you end up sick! But, I'm back this week to share my latest Take 5 Friday venture.

There's nothing like the chore of cleaning out a long over-due refrigerator to follow on the heels of your recent illness. If the unidentified container of food left way in the back isn't enough to turn your stomach, maybe you can use the mold growing in it to make a useful antibiotic. But that's what I tackled this week (cleaning the frige; not making meds). Now it's spotless and shiny. Once I was done with the "yucky" part (decifering edible from not), I used a mixture of baking soda and vinegar to give if a quick wipe down. This way, I didn't have to worry about chemicals effecting our food.

What about you? What did you tackle this week on Take 5 Friday? If you're new to Take 5 Friday, click here for guidelines and share in the fun!

Take 5 Friday-My Desk

2007-11-23T08:39:00.000-04:00

It's amazing what we can do in just 5 minutes time. That's why I came up with Take 5 Friday. If you're new to Take 5 Friday, check out the guidelines to find out more.

Even with the Thanksgiving holiday it was easy to find 5 minutes during the week to tackle some sort of organinzing task. This week I went for the desk. I made a quick sort and filed some paperwork that had accumulated in my "to file" basket. And because things weren't too out of hand, I even had time to straighten the rest of my desk. Now, my work space is ready for work, even if I'm not! Tell us, what did you accomplish this week in just 5 minutes?

Take 5 Friday-Reading Basket

2007-11-16T06:54:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the first post of Take 5 Friday! Join us each week to share your 5 minute organizing projects or ways you use 5 minutes to stay better organized. If you want to check out the posting guidelines click here, then join us! Being organized doesn't have to take tons of time. Take 5 Friday is all about what you can do in a short period of time to get or stay better organized.

This week I worked on a couple projects. One was my overgrown basket for reading material. I keep a medium sized basket next to my end of the couch for magazines, catalogs and other reading material. Problem was, it had become too over-crowded. So I sat down for 5 minutes the other day and cleared out all of the old, out of date stuff. Low and behold, my reading pile has gone from a jumbled mess about 10 inches thick to a neat stack in my basket that is only about three inches deep! This feels much more manageable for me to read!

Now, I'd love to post a before and after of this, but as you'll read in the guidelines I won't be able to until I get that nifty, new digital camera for Christmas...(I'm not above dropping hints, people...certain wonderful, loving family members, you know who you are!)

So, what were you able to accomplish in just 5 minutes this week? Post your name along with a short description here, then link to your own individual blog post. Be sure to add the link to Take 5 Friday to your posts so your readers can find out more. Oh, and feel free to use the Take 5 button on your sites!

Tomorrow's the Day!

2007-11-15T20:19:00.000-04:00

I'm so excited! Tomorrow is the launch of Take 5 Friday here on Organizational Enlightenment! Do you have your 5 minute organizing projects ready to share? Click here if you want to find out more about Take 5 Friday or the guidelines for posting. It's easy, it's fun and you're sure to get tons of 5 minute ideas to make your home or life more organized.

I've got my 5 minute project ready to post, how 'bout you? See you tomorrow!

Countdown to Take 5 Friday

2007-11-13T14:31:00.000-04:00

Have you been working on your 5 minute projects to post on Friday? You've still got time! Stop by here this Friday to see what others are accomplishing in just 5 minutes (plus get some great tips for yourself!) If you haven't heard about Take 5 Friday, get the scoop here and find out more!

The countdown begins...

2007-11-11T11:03:00.000-04:00

Take 5 Friday! What are you going to get done in 5 minutes this week? Be sure to return here on Friday to see what everyone is up to and to share what you accomplished in 5 minutes this week!

Take 5 Friday

2007-11-06T21:44:00.000-04:00

Becoming better organized doesn't have to take tons of time. There are lots of small things you can do each day or each week to help you along.

That's why I created "Take 5 Friday" for my readers. Take 5 Friday will be hosted here on Organizational Enlightenment each Friday and sponsored by Organize It Today. It's a chance to show just what you can do in just 5 minutes to help you become or stay better organized.

I've set up some guidelines here to help answer any questions you may have about posting and linking to Take 5 Friday. The first Take 5 Friday post will be on November 16th. I can't wait to get started! So, show us whatcha got!

Update: If you need some great 5 minute ideas to get you started, Laura, the Organizing Junkie has recently posted some great ideas on her site. Check them out, then check back here on the 16th for the kick off of Take 5 Friday!

Take 5 Friday Guidelines

2007-11-06T15:41:00.001-04:00

Updated Guidelines

Here are the guidelines for posting on Take 5 Friday:

Be sure to mention "Take 5 Friday" in your post and link back here so your readers can find out more about it and join in too. (We can't have all the fun to ourselves!) You can also (and are encouraged) to add the Take 5 Friday lable to your post so that people will recognize the topic.

You can post any type of organizing tip or better yet, share a project you actually did during that particular week. But, here's the catch: it has to be something you can/did do in ~~5 minutes or less~~ the time it takes for a coffee break (about 5-15 minutes) And don't forget pictures if you have them. Unfortunately, I won't be posting any pics until after Christmas when I receive my new digital camera (hint, hint...you know who you are!)

~~If Take 5 Friday "takes off" I will make it an official~~ ~~blog carnival and use Mr. Linky for everyone to link with. But until I guage the response to warrant doing so, just post your blog link in the comments each week under my Take 5 Friday post.~~ Mr. Linky is now up and available on Take 5 Friday!

Everyone and anyone is welcome to join in the fun. After you've written your own post, come here every Friday and link to your individual post (not your home page).

You may leave a short description with your comment and link back to your individual post.

Setting Your Expectations

2007-10-30T17:54:00.000-04:00

For those of you who do not know, I live with my husband, two daughters and our family dog, a big, happy golden retriever named Buddy. We're a dog-people kind of family. Living with a dog can sometimes be frustrating and full of surprises, like the time I came home to find the stuffing pulled out from my upholstered foot stool. But it can also bring much joy, like when I come home to find Buddy running to greet me with a wagging tail while trying to maintain his traction on the slick surface of the kitchen floor.

There are certain things that you come to expect from owning a dog. For instance, while I wouldn't be totally surprised, I would momentarily be taken aback if my 4 year old decided to lick my face. I say not totally surprised because this is not something that she hasn't tried or failed to accomplish once or twice. But it would be nothing for me to expect an occasional sign of affection of this type from my 4-legged friend.

I think nothing of Buddy jumping up on our bed to snuggle with the same 4 paws he uses to run after bunnies in the yard, kicking up dirt and grass along the way. But I'm sure I'd let out a horrified screech if I saw my husband on our bed with dirty shoes on...especially if it were Clean Sheet Sunday!

Likewise, one innocent, errant "mom hair" in someone's mashed potatoes and you'd think the whole meal was toxic. But they could drop their sucker in a pile of dog hair, half-heartedly wash it off and never think anymore of it.

So, it appears that some things are expected when you live with someone of a different species. Sometimes we have to look at organizing and keeping house the same way. And, let's face it, there's probably been more than one time you've thought your family was from another planet, or at the least that they were a bunch of pigs.

You have to expect that there are going to be times that your home doesn't always look like something from a magazine. You have to expect that someone is not always going to put things away. There are going to be days you want to hide the dishes. But, these are normal parts of everyday living. The joys of everyday living far outweigh the little inconveniences and those are the things that make you want to wag your tail.

The Organizing Gene: Fact or Fiction?

2007-10-18T19:22:00.001-04:00

Do you go about your daily activities thinking how much better things would be if you were just more organized? But then, reality hits and you say to yourself, “Who am I kidding? I just don’t have an organized bone in my body!” Do you often think that some people, maybe including you, just lack the “gene” to function in an organized state, forever doomed to live a life of clutter?

For some personalities it would seem so. But, becoming better organized is actually less about clearing clutter and knowing what to keep and where to store it. It’s more about developing the personality traits that are conducive to good organizational skills. It goes without saying, that to be more organized you have to do the obvious, like spending a few minutes each day picking up. But, when you get down to the nitty-gritty, it’s the personality traits of organized people that make the habits stick, and luckily, contrary to what many think, with the right tools these can be learned.

But, what about those who just seem to be “born with it”? It’s more accurate that these people were just exposed to examples of these traits early on in their lives. Fortunately, for those less adept, it’s never too late to learn. In actuality, everyone with the desire has the ability to learn to be more organized.

There are many adjectives that one is reminded of when it comes to describing someone who is “organized”. Things like being self motivated, prepared, efficient and consistent are all very attainable characteristics. Oftentimes, people think of these as things that you’re either blessed with or you’re not. But it is this same thought pattern that limits our ability to learn, effectively sealing our fate to never being able to successfully make that change.

Let’s take efficiency, for example. Organized people are often thought of as being efficient, true? Well, being efficient is all about processing things, whether it’s the daily mail or the kids’ toys, in a timely and proficient manner. Imagine how much more efficient you would be if you had pre-determined systems for the belongings in your life. By this I mean that when you open the mail, you have a place for bills, a place for magazines to read later, and a place for junk mail. Likewise, if you establish consistent places for sorting and storing children’s movies, books, toys and the like, clean up time is much more efficient.

Many disorganized people chronically suffer from the effects of clutter simply because they haven’t previously taken the time to explore the how, what, where and when of storage and processing. When you make these decisions ahead of time and use them consistently, most of the future work is done for you. Congratulations, you’ve just become more efficient! This method can be applied to nearly every area of your home if you stop and think it through. It takes a little forethought, but once you’re through that process, you hardly have to think about it again.

When it comes to organization, greater success is gained when the attributes are developed first. Developing good habits and specific techniques will follow. But the biggest payoff is that the transformations brought about will more likely be long-term changes that will help you reach your organizational goals and make positive improvements in your life.

Mom's Coffee Break

2007-10-10T19:06:00.000-04:00

Hop on over to Mom's Coffee Break this week for a chance to win a copy of my book, A Life Less Cluttered and a 20 minute phone consultation. I'll be joining Coach Tonya Ramsey next Thursday October 18th for a live radio talk show. This will be my first time as a guest on a radio program, so I'm very excited about that! Be sure to get all the details and tune in to hear the discussion.

Smart Habit Saturday

2007-09-29T11:00:00.000-04:00

So far I've been doing pretty well on all my new habits. I was worried when I started SMART Habit Saturday that some would drop off as I picked up new ones, but I've not been doing too bad. I think it's the whole accountablity factor and the fact that I know there are others out there striving to reach their goals right along with me. If you're not familiar with SMART Habit Saturday, visit The Lazy Organizer's blog to find out more.

Here's a recap of what I've been up to so far:

Change sheets every Sunday
Eat breakfast everyday
Take some me time (you'll have to read about my latest find!)
Replace not-so-healthy foods with healthier varieties
Moisturize everyday

This week I'm adding:

Take my vitamins EVERYDAY!

Check in with me next week to see how it's going. What new SMART Habits can you come up with to be a better you?

A Life Less Cluttered

2007-09-28T18:30:00.000-04:00

Don't take my word for it...visit The Lazy Organizer to see what others are saying about my book, A Life Less Cluttered: Expert Secrets to Your Own Organizing Epiphany.

"Are You Stretched Out, Mommy?"

2007-09-23T13:10:00.000-04:00

The title words inspired by my 4 year old probably have you all conjuring up a myriad of images, I'm sure. But, after my initial outburst of laughter was under control, I realized how profound my little one was.

Let me give you the background. It was a particularly difficult day last week. Lots of things going on and going wrong. I was about to be called upon to be referee between my daughters for the umpteenth time that day, when I let out one of my patented sighs of exasperation (which is apparently a sign for those around me that Mom is near her breaking point). My youngest daughter comes up behind me, lays a hand on my shoulder and asks in her most concerned voice, "Are you stretched out, Mommy?" See, what she really meant was, "stressed out", but the common, everyday term got turned around...or did it?

I realized, I have been stretched out lately, stretched thin, to the point it doesn't feel like there's enough of me to go around. Between my organizing business, my job (normally 4 days a week as a paralegal) and home and family, there's just been very little time for me. No doubt about it, I'm stretched out! No time to think, to ponder, to read, to relax, to do any of the things I enjoy. I'm almost to the point where I've forgotten what it is that I enjoy. Scrapbooking, what's that? A manicure? Never heard of it.

I took my plight to my husband. "I need time out. I need time to recenter. I want to take yoga. Not just pop in the cd at home either. I want to go somewhere and "take yoga".

He's usually a really supportive guy, so I wasn't surprised that he was very agreeable to the idea. (Plus he knows if mom's not happy, nobody's happy.) He even suggested he'd call his friend who owns a local fitness center and set something up for me. It's this great place, he told me, with a kids area right next to the class and a big window so I can keep an eye on the kids. You know, if he ever needs to drop them off to me for any reason.

"No way, bud! The point of me getting out alone is to get out alone! You know, like you do when you play softball twice a week."

"Oh," he says. "Is that what you meant?" He was even more agreeable then. Lucky for him.

I took my first class this past Thursday and it was great! Aside from the sore, stiff muscles in places I didn't know had muscles, it was very relaxing. The balance ball was interesting. I always felt slighted as a kid because I never got a "hippity hop ball". Now I figure this is my chance to re-live my childhood. And as I bend and twist my way into "downward facing dog" (that's a yoga pose by the way) I think to my self, "Now I'm really stretched out!"

Moisturize, Don't Agonize!

2007-09-22T11:53:00.000-04:00

For awhile now, my catch phrase has been "Organize, Don't Agonize!". I think I'm officially (or not) changing it to "Moisturize, Don't Agonize!" It's going to be my new SMART Habit Saturday mantra. I'm tired of the scaly, flaky legs and with winter coming, it's bound to be worse. Plus I just saw a 70 year old woman on Oprah who didn't look a day over 40 and her secret she said, was moisturizing! So, my habit is to start using lotion everyday...of course I already missed this morning. But tomorrow...promise! So, maybe by the time I'm her age I'll look 50ish. I'm 34 now, so I have some time to work with, but I'm not expecting miracles here!

So, what new habit can you start picking up this week? See what others are tackling over at The Lazy Organizer's blog with Lara Gallagher.

SMART Habit Saturday Recap

2007-09-15T21:24:00.000-04:00

This week for SMART Habit Saturday I've decided to just recap what I've been working on, re-center, re-focus and re-group. Here's what I've been working on so far:

Changing sheets every Sunday This one is easy for me...I love those clean sheets!

Eating breakfast everyday I've done very well with this on the weekdays, weekends are hit and miss

Taking time for me I've not done this at all, except for the day I got out without the kids to get groceries (for the record...I don't think this counts!)

Developing healthier eating habits I could do better. I have substituted wheat for white bread and cut back on the sugar, but I could still do better in other areas.

So, this week, I'm going to continue with the SMART Habits I've been working on and add a new one next week. If you want to find out more about SHS and The Lazy Organizer, visit Lara's blog.

Healthier Eating Habits

2007-09-08T20:39:00.000-04:00

So far, I've been doing amazingly well on my new habits. This one will put me to the test. I've really been trying to eat more healthy. Tonight I didn't do so good. Ever have one of those movie-night dinners where you plop down for a family movie and eat snacky food for dinner? Pizza Rolls, mini quesadillas, cheese sticks...mmm! It only happens about once or twice a month (more often in the winter) so all's forgiven.

But, my new habit this week is to make better food choices by replacing not so good foods with better ones. Like wheat bread for our usual white, yogurt instead of a cookie, fruit added to my cereal instead of the ususal heaping spoonful of sugar. You get the idea.

I think I'm hoping the small changes will fake out my body and not be such a shock to my system. Maybe by the time this habit sinks in I'll have forgotten what junk food tastes like and I won't miss it so much!

Have you been over to The Lazy Organizer's blog to find out more about SMART Habit Saturday? SMART Habits are all about Saving, Money, Associations, Resources and Time. Check it out to find out more!

Good for the Soul Time

2007-09-01T18:05:00.000-04:00

Smart Habit Saturday

(to join in on SHS, visit The Lazy Organizer)

I realized today that I'm really missing some "me" time, that little bit of time I used to tell my husband was "good for the soul" time just for me. One of the things I really miss is getting a manicure. It's been months, I tell ya! I'm not "high maintenance" or a real "girly-girl", not that there's anything wrong with that, but I did enjoy the occasional hand massage/manacure.

I'm fortunate enough to have fairly nice, natural nails. Mainly because I hate doing dishes. If they won't fit in the dishwasher, I ~~ask~~ bribe my oldest into doing them...or hide them in the oven. So, I enjoy keeping my nails painted most of the time, which I could do at home. But the best part is the relaxation I get from having them done at a salon. It makes me feel like queen for a day (or at least an hour). A good hand/forearm massage will leave you feeling almost as good as having a full back rub...almost.

Plus, it was a place I wouldn't dare take the kids; the older one because she'd beg me to get her's done and the younger one because I'd be fishing her out of the foot tubs. So it was alone time by a default. I did try to take my husband once when we were going out for the evening, but he poked so much fun at the bad voice-overs they had on the foreign movie they were playing that I told him I would never take him with me again. He was crushed.

So, I think my habit for this week will be to re-introduce an old one. I'll become a re-habitual offender! While getting my nails done may not be a weekly habit, I'm sure I can find something else to do for an hour or so on the off weeks.

Hook, Line and "Stinker"

2007-08-26T19:33:00.000-04:00

Ever want to know what chicken liver left in a closed vehicle for two days in sweltering 100 degree heat smells like? No? I didn't think so. Neither did I. But I had the distinct pleasure of finding out. And for the record, it's bad...really bad.

No, I didn't forget and leave a bag of groceries in the van. This was definitely not of my doing. My husband decided he'd like to do a little fishing at a get-together we attended Friday evening. When we got home after midnight that night, he forgot to bring his bait inside.

I haven't had need to set foot in my van again until today when I went to retrieve some cough drops I'd left in there. I've been a bit under the weather with a summer cold. Unfortunately, my sinuses weren't congested enough to save me from the stench which permeated my olfactory senses when I opened that door!

Whew! "Honey, I think something died in my van."

"Ummm" he says upon his investigation of the interior. "I guess I forgot to bring in the livers Friday. Would you like me to take it through the car wash and spray some car scent in it?"

"Ummm, yeah. And some disinfectant. And some more car scent. It really does need vacuumed out, too, while you're at it." I think I could possibly get an actual whole new car out of this.

The Breakfast of Champions

2007-08-25T18:19:00.000-04:00

For someone who enjoys food and has a hard time picking a favorite, I sure do skip breakfast...alot. I'm horrible about getting out the door without something to eat. Sure, I'll have a mid-morning snack sometimes, but somehow I think I'm missing out on something by not having breakfast. I tell my kids how important it is. Why don't I listen to my own advice, not to mention my growling stomach?

So...how to break this awful habit? Here's some "food for thought": Piggy back with an already existing (maybe not so good for you but fun) habit!

Okay, I admit it. I'm an internet junky. I almost never miss my early morning ritual of checking my emails and catching up on my horoscope, a favorite blog or tidbits of actual news. If I had a laptop and wireless, I'd be in trouble. My husband often wonders how it is that I can stay up til the wee hours surfing, but nod off at the exact instant we sit down to watch a movie. Maybe if you'd let me control the remote once in awhile like I control the mouse, I'd have something to occupy me!

So anyway, I figure, why not eat a bowl of cereal while I'm busy getting my net fix? I'm on day five of my new habit and so far, so good. I was actually looking forward to my bowl of cereal instead of just my emails. I may have to adjust my wake up time a little though. It seems that surfing takes longer when you're eating. Maybe because I haven't mastered eating with my left hand so I can control the mouse with my right, but I'm working on it!

Join in on SMART Habit Saturday with Lara Gallagher

Rules Are Meant to be Broken...Sometimes

2007-08-21T16:19:00.000-04:00

Pick up nearly any organizing book out there and they'll tell you "finish one project before moving to the next", "do things in a specific order", yada, yada, yada. I've even been guilty of giving the same advice to clutter weary clients. But, sometimes rules are made to be broken.

See, for organized people who just want to pretend that they need more structure in their life, that advice might work. Might actually be FUN for them in some crazy, warped way. But for those of us with shorter attention spans...well, it means more than just WORK. It means TORTURE! I mean, spend more than ten or fifteen minutes in one area?! That's nearly unbearable for some people! And chronically disorganized people (or recovering ones) often find it hard to devote long spans of time to one project.

There are some tasks that I can happily attend to and hours may pass by indiscriminately, while others seem to drag on forever. Some organizing projects are that way. So, I say...why not bend the rules? Who says you can't jump around from area to area, task to task like a pin ball and still accomplish something? Well, take it from The Organizing Muse, you can!

In one short weekend I managed to:

Cleared out my old nail polish and toiletries in my bathroom

Went through magazines and books in our bedroom

Sorted outgrown kids clothes to donate

Pulled and pitched indeterminable items from the fridge

Dusted and vaccumed our bedroom

Sorted kids' bath toys; tossing out "yucky" ones

Listed gently used books on Amazon (and made some money too!)

Clipped and filed coupons

I did all of these things in no particular order and not all during one time span. I didn't worry that the rest of the room didn't get touched. (Next weekend, I'll hit some other areas.)

I picked tasks that wouldn't take long. I used my time wisely. And I didn't let myself get bored. For instance, I went through the bathroom cabinet while I was supervising bathtime. I sorted magazines while catching up on my favorite TV shows. And, I felt like I really accomplished something. I broke one of the cardinal rules of organizing...and I'm better off for it. So, don't be afraid to let your attention wander. Some rules were meant to be broken!

Clean Sheet Sunday

2007-08-12T18:47:00.000-04:00

Oh I love a Sunday night, such a beautiful sight. I love to feel clean sheets on my bed, smell the fabric softener as it...OK breaking into a bad version of "I Love a Rainy Night" may be taking it a bit too far. But I do love "clean sheet Sunday"! It's amazing how well I sleep when the sheets have just been changed.

Recently, I've tried to develop the habit of changing the sheets on our bed every Sunday and so far I've been pretty successful at keeping this up. You know the Febreze commercials where the lady sprays the carpet and comes back in the room to find all of the toys doing a face plant on the floor so they can smell the carpet? That's me on "clean sheet Sunday". (I know my husband laughs at me for all of the "little things" in life that I find amusing.) I'm practically glued to the bed as I drift off to the scent of fresh linens.

Now, I recall an Oprah episode on dust mites and how one lady had not changed her sheets for years. Years, people! I'm not sure how many, but it was alot! Oprah went on to say "I change my sheets everyday". Now, although I can't picture Oprah changing her own sheets (I have a sneaking suspicion she has some help with that)...but I'm amazed to say the least--everyday?! Now, that's something to aspire to!

Hon, you've got the kids, I'm turning in early tonight! I'll soon be off to peaceful sleep, that is until the dog and the 4 year old decide to hone in on my "clean sheet Sunday" and nuzzle their way into our bed! Anyway, you should give "clean sheet Sunday" a try tonight! (Cover Stealer and Tail-Wagger optional.)

Christine, The Organizing Muse

Want to join in on SMART Habit Saturday? Visit my web friend Lara's site, The Lazy Organizer.

The Organizing Muse

2007-08-05T20:17:00.000-04:00

OK, I was trying to come up with a cool "handle" for myself now that I'm into this blogging thing. I wanted something that reflected my quest for the calm serenity that I hope organization brings to my sometimes hectic household. I wanted something inspiring. The term "muse" struck me.

Since I've heard it used and had a general idea of the meaning, but never had the occassion to use the word myself, I looked it up on http://www.dictionary.com/ which describes muse as: "any goddess presiding over a particular art" Goddess, huh? I like it! Not to mention the whole inspiring thing. The Organizing Muse...hmm...has somewhat of a greater presence than the Organizing Queen or Guru (always hated that word) or something similar. And don't you think it fits great with my blog title "Organizational Enlightenment" and my "Musings and Mishaps" category? That and the fact I've always thought of organization as an art form in and of itself. But, that's a post for another time...

For now, I'll just sign off as...

Christine, The Organizing Muse

Organized vs. Spontaneous

2007-08-04T23:06:00.000-04:00

Being organized or being spontaneous? Does it really have to be one or the other? A good friend of mine recently confided in me a deep dark secret. Deep down she was afraid that becoming organized meant that she would have to lose her spontaneity. Her fun loving, get up and go spirit was something she cherished and nearly everyone who met her could easily fall in love with that quality about her.

Of course it got me wondering if everyone who was chronically disorganized had this fear, but moreover I shuddered to think that people may be finding me (gasp!) boring and a tiny bit dull! So, out of sheer friendship I set out to put this myth to the test and dispel my friend’s qualms. Alright, maybe some small portion of me wanted to make sure I was still fun to be around!

Trying to think back to the last time I did something out-of-the-blue, I realized immediately that I, a professional organizer, almost never plan a weekend. It’s true. Take a look at my Palm Pilot and you’ll see that among the carefully planned weekdays, there is hardly a Saturday or Sunday to be found with a planned activity. Now, come to think of it, that’s just disturbing. Maybe I don’t have a life after all. Surely there’s something else to draw on as a case in point.

I’m sure I can be just as unpredictable as the next person. Just a couple weeks ago, for example, I went to the grocery store to pick up a few things and I didn’t even take a list! Nope, didn’t even bother to take stock before I hit the store because I stopped on the spur of the moment! That’s got to count for something. Everyone knows that is one of the cardinal rules of organized meal planning.

The truth is, since becoming more organized (no, it doesn’t have to come natural but that’s another story) I think I’ve truly learned to loosen up and adapt more. Over time, I have been able to enjoy the freedom of being more impulsive on the things that really matter because I don’t have all of the “un-dones” hanging over my head. I have learned that if I’m not particular about the way the towels are folded and put away, I leave the possibility open for someone else to help me around the house. I have developed the knack of being prepared so that if I want to scoop up the kids and head out for a day of unplanned fun, it doesn’t take me hours to gather everyone and everything and leave the house.

I think learning to be more on top of things has led me down a path of “planned spontaneity”. I think that may be the best of both worlds, my world anyway. The object of the game is finding what’s right for you.

Back To School Basics

2007-07-28T10:46:00.000-04:00

School is almost here. For many people, the end of summer means back to school and a more hectic schedule. Even if you don't have children at home, many of us can benefit from basic organizing tips to help stay better organized.

Organizing 101

With school only a few short weeks away, preparation is underway for our youngsters to return to the halls of learning. Here are a few tips that parents can use to help kids hit the books with some organizational knowledge in hand.
• Obtain a list of needed school supplies and hit the store. If you don’t have the list handed out at the end of the year, visit your school’s website or check major supply stores for a copy. Most local stores post them near the front or in the school supply section.
• When it comes to items that are less durable, such as folders and crayons, stock up now when prices are at their lowest. Check what additional supplies are needed for second semester and purchase those now as well.
• Try a plastic accordion style expanding file for transporting homework, spelling lists, graded papers, etc. They are more durable than paper folders and most come with dividers so you can establish good learning habits early on.
• Anticipate supplies needed for special projects, such as poster board, extra glue, markers, etc. and purchase a minimal supply ahead of time to help prepare for those last minute “mom, I forgot I have a project due tomorrow!” days.
• Speaking of last minute notifications, keep a frozen tub of cookie dough on hand in case you suddenly become volunteered to donate to the bake sale or class snack.

While these ideas are sure to make the grade, more importantly they are teaching kids to take an active role in the planning process while learning valuable organizing and time management skills from you which aren’t always taught in a book. And that’s something they can take with them throughout their grade school years, to college and beyond.

Home Offices Home to More Clutter

2007-07-21T21:08:00.000-04:00

With home-based businesses and work-from-home options of “telecommuting” on the rise, many home offices have become havens for mounds of paperwork and misplaced clutter. The piles and disorganization can make digging out seem overwhelming to most.

It’s no surprise this area seems more out of control than others. Many home offices have to pull double duty. Your desk by day might be the family’s dining area in the evening. Your master bedroom may serve as your main business hub by day. Add children to the equation and you can bet there will be a “toy room” intermingled, whether it was intended, or not. These scenarios can make for a very stressful, disorganized work environment and a likely place for clutter to emerge.

Some simple steps can make a home based office run more efficiently:

Arrange your office area into “zones”. Have a specific task in mind for each section; mailing, filing, computer work, reference, etc. This helps determine a clear home for everything and develops good habits of returning items to their proper place.
Keep up with paperwork on a regular basis. Even if you have to schedule time with yourself to do this, make sure you’re diligent. Keep a “to be filed” tray, but keep it small so that you can’t pile more than you can file away in 10 minutes time. This will force you to work on paperwork more frequently and for shorter periods of time, so you don’t get bogged down with the task.
If your office area is multipurpose, look for “trans-formable” storage solutions. By choosing a rolling file cart or a stylish cabinet that can conceal files and supplies or using a desk that closes up, you can easily transition the space for after hours.

The bottom line is, when you’re more organized, you are more efficient. Taking the time to organize and develop systems for your office area is not a waste of time. You are investing in your business by increasing your own productivity, and that’s not a bad thing!

Maybe She's Born With It

2007-07-19T18:57:00.000-04:00

“Maybe she’s born with it”, the cosmetics jingle rings in my ears. People ask me, “Are you just born with the organizing gene?" What they really want to know is, “Is there any hope for me?” The answer is yes! Actually, I was not always an organized person.

Early in our marriage, my husband and I were at home when the phone rang. Friends wanted to stop by in about fifteen minutes! The place was a wreck. Dirty dishes were piled in the sink, the dishwasher was full, newspapers and mail cluttered the living room, and we probably hadn’t vacuumed in a while. My husband straightened the living room while I started on the dishes. I was running out of room and time. In my infinite wisdom, I decided the oven would be a great place to stash some dirty dishes, temporarily of course! The place was presentable, our visitors came and went. The antics of our breakneck-speed clean up were forgotten.

Days later, I was pre-heating the oven for dinner. You guessed it. The dishes that I had so cleverly hidden in the oven included some plastic cups and plastic handled pots! Those items are not rated for a 350 degree oven! One huge mess, some bologna sandwiches for dinner and a few well learned lessons came from that episode; 1) never, ever think you’re too clever for your own good, and 2) it’s never too late to learn a new skill, such as organizing.

What can you do if you weren’t born with it but want to look like you were?

• Find help from books and television. The knowledge that you’re not alone can alleviate anxiety you may be feeling over your current situation, plus you’re likely to pick up a few tips.
• Have a plan and a starting point. Depending on your preferences, either choose your most troubled spot or a smaller area where you can see quick improvements.
• Call in a professional. A good personal organizer can help you learn the necessary skills to be more organized. By working along side of them, you can develop good habits. Many organizers offer services ranging from consultations to hands-on sorting sessions to best fit your needs.
• Set goals. Knowing what you want to accomplish with your space will help you attain your goals. Do you want a more relaxing environment? A functional space? An efficient work area? Keeping your goals in mind will help you if the going gets tough.
• Fine-tune your systems. You may need to regroup and rethink your newly organized system a few times before you’re completely comfortable with its inner workings. What works today may need tweaking tomorrow, and any system is going to need regular maintenance.

Above all else, know that this is a learning process. Some are born with natural musical or artistic abilities, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have to practice to perfect their skills. Organizing doesn’t always come naturally, but with practice it can become easier.

Updated website

2007-07-17T08:48:00.000-04:00

If you haven't visited my website, or if it's been awhile, please take a few minutes to stop by. I've been busy over the past few days! While you're there, be sure to sign up for my free monthly subscription of Organi-zine: The Ezine That Gets You Organized! I always offer great tips for getting and staying organized and subscribers are the first to know about special offers.

Have a great day!

Camp Mom

2007-07-12T16:59:00.000-04:00

Well, my kids are off to their grandparents' house for a long weekend. I've got two girls, Samantha, 10 years old and Alexis, 4 years old, and it's a rare treat for them to go for an overnight.

So, what's the first thing on this mom-gone-wild's agenda? You might think I have a hot date with my husband planned, but no. I'm going to the county fair to sit at a booth in the sweltering heat with a friend. I'll enjoy some of that junky fair food without having to hear about going on rides or winning a goldfish. I'll be able to walk through the booths without anyone begging to go see the animals already. Ok, they've only been gone one hour and I miss them already!

What I think I'm actually looking forward to doing is some closet cleaning and reorganizing this weekend. How sad is that?! Maybe get in some walking or some yoga, my newly found relaxing "me-time" activity.

Blogging virgin

2007-07-12T08:40:00.000-04:00

Okay, I admit it. I've never "blogged" before! Lots of people have told me I needed to, but I just never took that first step to actually do it. I thought, what's the big deal about it anyway? I publish an email newsletter, what could be so different? Do people really want to hear about my life anyway? Boring! I'm sure I'll get the hang of it.

Anyway, I wanted to create this to keep in touch with others, let them know what was going on in my organizing business and to let them have a place to come to ask questions or get answers. And hopefully, it won't be boring!